VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) - Lao male and female martial arts exponents are readying to compete at the 5th WVVF World Vovinam Championship 2017 to be hosted by India from August 1-5.
The team will comprise more than 20 men and women fighters who'll compete in 18 dancing events. The men will contest six different weight categories while the women will vie across four divisions at the championship.
Some 34 countries are expected to attend the 5th WVVF World Vovinam Championship 2017 which is being organised by the Vovinam Association of India.
The Lao squad are currently training under the watchful eye of Coach Mr Viengsouk Hangngeun at the National University of Laos' Dongdok Campus.
He said the team was looking for new younger fighters to join the national ranks with the federation hoping to expose talented up-and-comers to international competition at this year's world championship in India.
Meanwhile, the Lao Vovinam Federation will ask for assistance from the National Olympic Committee to meet the team's travel expenses to India.
In recent success the Lao vovinam team won three gold, three silver and 15 bronze medals at the 4thSEAVF Southeast Asian Vovinam Championship 2017 hosted by Siem Reap in Cambodia in January.
The Lao Vovinam Federation sent 12 fighters to compete in 21 different events (seven fighting and 14 dancing) out of a total of 29 events at the Asian Vovinam Championship.
At the Beach Games held in Vietnam from September 24 to October 3 last year, the Lao team won one gold and six bronze medals.
Laos' other successes include winning a gold medal, four silver and six bronze medals at the Indoor Games in Vietnam in 2009; winning two gold and five bronze medals at the SEA Games in Indonesia in 2011; and picking up two gold, three silver and four bronze medals at the SEA Games in Myanmar in 2013.
Laos also won four gold medals at the Asean Vovinam Championship in Myanmar in 2013 while at the 3rd Vovinam Championship in Myanmar in 2014 they were placed third with five gold medals.
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Source: http://annx.asianews.network/content/lao-vovinam-fighters-preparing-world-championship-44793