Nay Pyi Taw January 23
A ceremony to honor Myanmar sports teams that won medals in Asian and world level sports meets in 2023 by the State was held at Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium (B) here this morning, addressed by Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Also present at the ceremony together with the Senior General were SAC Joint Secretary Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo, SAC members, union ministers, the Nay Pyi Taw Council chair, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the Nay Pyi Taw Command commander, deputy ministers, chairs and vice chairs of Myanmar sports federations, invited guests, managers, coaches and athletes of sports teams that brought honor to the nation in Asian and world level sports meets in 2023 and officials.
In his honorary address, the Senior General said the ceremony is to honor the Myanmar sports teams that won medals in Asian and world level sports meets that were organized after the 32nd SEA Games held in 2023 at the national level.
Myanmar teams won victories in 19th Asian Games and 4th Asian Para Games held in People’s Republic of China in September and October, E-Sports championship held in August and September in 2023 in Romania, 14th World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship 2023 held in South Korea in November, 19th World Petanque Championship held in Thailand, and the World Vovinam Championship held in Vietnam. The State will honor the medalists of the teams that brought honor to the nation in the events.
At the Asian Games held from 23 September to 8 October 2023 in China, Myanmar won gold in men’s quadrant speak takraw match and one bronze each in women’s 500-metre12-oar tradition boat race and men’s 1000-metre metre12-oar tradition boat race, and stood 27th in the games participated by 45 countries. It’s an improvement for Myanmar as it won only two bronze medals and stood 35th at country-wise medal tally at the 18th Asian Games held in Indonesia.
At the Asian Para Games held in China from 22 to 28 October 2023, Myanmar won two bronze in 100-metre sprint race and 200-metre sprint race and one bronze in 100-metre sprint race, totaling three medals.
Myanmar won silver in Dota2 team-wise contest at the world E-Sports championship held in Romania from 26 August to 3 September.
Myanmar won gold in Men’s Sports Physique up to 175 Centimeter and silver in men’s 70- kilo bodybuilding contest at the 14th World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship 2023 held in the Republic of Korea from 6 to 12 November 2023.
Khin Cherry Thet of Myanmar won gold at the 19th World Petanque Championship held in Thailand from 22 to 28 November 2023, and won the top position in world ranking.
Thirty-two Myanmar athletes won two gold medals, three silver medals, and nine bronze medals and won the 6th place in the world ranking table at the 7th World Vovinam Championship held in Vietnam from 22 November to December 2023.
Myanmar athletes took home five gold medals, five silver medals and 14 bronze medals, totaling 24 for the country at the Asian and world level games, and it amounts to improving the country’s image. Moreover, the efforts and spirit of the athletes and their coaches and managers is honored and recorded as the State Flag could be raised and the national anthem could be heard internationally due to their achievements.
In honor of their hard training sessions and detailed preparations, every gold medalist individual and team will be presented Ks- 30 million each, every silver medalist individual and team will be presented Ks- 20 million each, and every bronze medalist individual and team will be presented Ks- 10 million each. The total amount of the awards is Ks-390 million.
Just as the State honors the sports athletes who have achieved such success with a state-level ceremony, they need to show their love for the country, patriotism and the spirit of wanting to promote the nation’s pride through sports.
Meanwhile, they also need to train hard in a disciplined and obedient manner under the supervision of their relevant officials and coaches.
In order to achieve success in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games to be held in Thailand in 2025, plans are being made to hold the fifth national sports festival in December this year.
The festival will be held on a grand scale with the aim of producing new generation of athletes who excel in sports, motivating all people including youths to cultivate a sporting spirit and facilitating the health and fitness of the entire nation.
Various ministries and region and state governments are to make preparations to represent their respective teams in the sports festival and cooperate with each other in their respective roles for the success.
All the ministries and sports federations need to cooperate and draw selection, training and victory plans in order to increase not only the number of sports, but also the number of athletes, to increase the level of competition and achieve more success in the upcoming 33rd Southeast Asian Games to be held in Thailand in 2025 and 20th Asian Games to be held in Japan in 2026.
Sports athletes are urged to make more efforts with unrelenting perseverance to achieve continued success in international sports competitions, including the Asian Games.
All are urged to make continued efforts to ensure that they achieve more gold, silver and bronze medals in international sports events and motivate every youth to cultivate a sporting spirit and become themselves able to compete in Southeast Asian, Asian and international sports and games.
Then U Min Thein Zan, Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, explained the conditions of competing in Asian level and world level games in 2023.
After that, the Senior General presented cash awards to the country’s victorious sports teams that won five gold medals the bodybuilding and physique, pétanque and vovinam in 2023 the Asian and World Games.
After that, the joint secretary of the SAC, presented cash awards to the sports teams that won five silver medals in the E-Sport, bodybuilding and physique and vovinam.
SAC member General Mya Tun Oo also presented cash awards to the rowing team and track and field team that won five bronze medals, SAC member Admiral Tin Aung San to the vovinam team that won five bronze medals, and SAC member Lt-Gen Nyo Saw to the vovinam team that won four bronze medals. Then, on behalf of the country’s honorable medal winners in 2023, pétanque athlete Khin Cherry Thet gave a speech of thanks.
Afterwards, the Senior General and party warmly greeted the country’s victorious athletes and coaches.
Later, the Senior General and party held a tea party together with the victorious sports teams.
