Myanmar shines with Southeast Asian Nations Paralympic Games

Around 2,000 athletes from 11 countries are competing in 12 sports, in the Southeast Asian Nations (SEA) Paralympic Games in Naypyitawm Myanmar’s capital until next Wednesday.

The biennial competition, inaugurated in 1988, will give 399 gold medals in athletics, swimming, basketball, volleyball, weightlifting, chess, goalball, football 5-a-side, football 7-a-side, table tennis, boccia and archery.

In the previous edition, Thailand finished in first place with 295 medals, followed by Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, the latter with 120 competitors and the aspiration to finishing in the top four overall.

The results are evaluative for competitors with a view to participate in the Asian Paralympics, convened for South Korea this year.

Athletes from Brunei, Cambodia, Philippines, Laos, Singapore and Timor Leste, besides Myanmar, which hosted last December the Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games) are competing.