NAY PYI TAW November 14
The Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) sports meet held today is to implement the point stated in the Social Objects “To enhance the health, fitness and education quality of the entire nation” adopted by the State.
State and Tatmadaw officials should fulfill the requirements while Tatmadaw athletes must nurture the sportsmanship spirit for the State and Tatmadaw and the spirit of working in unity, said Chairman of State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in his address delivered at the opening ceremony of 2022 Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) sports meet held this evening at Zeyathiri Stadium, Nay Pyi Taw.
Present together with the Senior General were his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win and wife Daw Than Than Nwe, Union ministers and their wives, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and their wives, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander and wife, officers, other ranks and families of offices and departments of Office of Commander-in-Chief (Army, Navy and Air), members of Nay Pyi Taw War Veterans Organization, trainees of Tatmadaw football academies, invited guests and contestants of the sports meet.
First, Tatmadaw(Army, Navy and Air) Military Band took positions in the stadium. Then Flag Bearer Company and athletes of 17 teams led by parade commander took positions. At the time when the sports meet was declared open, Chairman of Tatmadaw Sports and Physical Education Administrative Committee Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Soe Min Oo and Nay Pyi Taw Command Commander Maj-Gen Zaw Hein released hot balloons bearing the letters marking the opening ceremony.
The Senior General took the salute of the Flag Bearer Company and athletes of 17 teams led by parade commander.
In his address, the Senior General said the annual sports meet was suspended during the previous years because of rising COVID-19 infection rate. As the disease can be controlled to a certain degree at present, the sports meet is held in accord with COVID-19 prevention rules.
This year, Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) sports competitions comprise 10 sports events.
These sports reflect physical fitness, diligence and unity of the Tatmadaw. As it aims to turn out new generation athletes bring honour to the State through Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) sports competitions, they all have to show off their brilliant skills and talents in the competitions.
The Tatmadaw has formed the Tatmadaw Sports and Physical Education Management Board and the Tatmadaw sports committees. Arrangements are being made for ensuring sharpening of sports skills of Tatmadaw member athletes and for giving chance for those to systematically take sports training.
The Tatmadaw draws the annual sports calendar to organize the sports competitions in relevant military commands for producing the new generation athletes to be chosen for the selected Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) teams. As uplifting the sports sector means protecting the State, all athletes try hard to secure success in their respective sports events so as to bring honour to the Tatmadaw and the State.
First, those athletes can get the benefits from the sports as personal good health. Then, they will have to enjoy the unity in the teamwise competitions to secure the spirit of unity. Today’s sports events are suitable for the Tatmadaw members. The Tatmadaw members serving the State defence duty must be healthy and fit. If so, they will dutifully serve their assignments.
So, they have to take care of good lifestyle for ensuring good health and taking training for fitness. Moreover, they have to constantly strive for taking correct techniques of sports training to be healthy and fit with full stamina.
The Senior General continued to say that the sports is a national duty to uplift the prestige of the State and the nationality with the concept to polish the image of the nation as part of competing with the opponents without giving up till the last seconds. Victory and fame of an athlete automatically uplift the prestige of the country and themselves.
Myanmar’s martial arts which is one of sports events to be held today is a sport event showing off national spirit, braveness, activeness and physical fitness.
In the past, Myanmar’s art of sword fighting played a key role in bravely fighting against the colonialists in Myanmar history.
Hence, the sports competition was inserted with the Myanmar martial arts event as of 2019.
As the spouses of Tatmadaw members are important in the defence sector, track and field, judo, volleyball and shooting events allow participation of women similar to that of men.
This year’s 31st SEA Games, a wife of the Tatmadaw member secured the gold medal in the judo event. So, the Senior General expressed his satisfaction for skills of spouses of the Tatmadaw members.
The Tatmadaw has opened the Tatmadaw Football Academy since 2015 with the aim of contributing to the sports sector of the country and to nurturing outstanding athletes for the Myanmar team and the academy has nurtured three batches of athletes so far.
As sports rely on a combination of six fundamental factors such as fitness, strength, agility, skills, stamina and team work, it is necessary for athletes to try to build up such capabilities. Moreover, it is sure to win victories if athletes can combine their skills, experience and practice with rationale, intuition, right concepts and ability to make correct decisions immediately. Athletes are urged to try to be winners by proving their capabilities, to compete with relentless perseverance and diligence by cultivating the conscientiousness that promoting the sports sectors amounts to defending the country through another means, to leave fine legacies for new generation athletes by maintaining the good legacies of sportsmen from the defence services in the past and to exert efforts to become athlete who can promote the image of the country and the Tatmadaw out of the spirit of sportsmanship.
Then, flag carriers and athletes from 17 sports teams led by the parade commander marched out of the sports grounds by saluting the Senior General in a column.
Then, the Senior General and attendees enjoyed the first semi-final match of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Cup(A Class) between the teams representing the Eastern Command and the Central Command.
Having been soccer teams that were able to participate in the semi-finals, the two teams competed fiercely with each other and tied at 1-1 after 90 minutes had passed. At 14 minute during the first half of the extra time, the Central Command Team scored another goal and won the march with 2-1.
During the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services (Army,Navy and Air) Sports Competitions (2022), ten sports events including soccer matches, track and field events (male/female), Judo contests (male/female), Taekwondo contests, volleyball contests (male/ female), Myanmar traditional martial art competitions, Sepak Takraw competitions, Karatedocontests, boxing and shooting events (male and female)will be held until 25 November.
