Opening Ceremony of the 17th Southeast Asian University Games
On the evening of December 10th, the opening ceremony of the 17th Southeast Asian University Games (AUG 17), hosted by Indonesia, took place in Palembang, Indonesia.
According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Indonesia, attending the opening ceremony were Indonesian Vice President H. Muhammad Jusuf Kalla, along with many high-ranking Indonesian officials, international guests, and nearly 3,000 officials, coaches, and athletes from 11 countries in the region, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Laos, and Timor Leste.
With the theme "One Heart, One ASEAN," the opening ceremony of the 17th Southeast Asian University Games was spectacular, vibrant, and deeply rooted in Indonesian culture.
Following the parade of athletes and coaches from 11 countries past the grandstand, the flame of the 17th Southeast Asian University Games blazed brightly on the flame stand, symbolizing the spirit and youthful energy of the youth and students of ASEAN countries.
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| The Vietnamese student sports delegation before the opening ceremony of the Games. (Photo: Hoang Hoa/Vietnam+) |
The audience at the opening ceremony also enjoyed a spectacular fireworks display and a special artistic program showcasing the rich traditions of Indonesia, performed by artists, actors, and thousands of Indonesian youth and students.
At the Games, teams will compete in 20 sports with 225 sets of medals. The Vietnamese student sports delegation has 50 athletes participating, competing in 6 sports: athletics, swimming, table tennis, Taekwondo, Karatedo, and chess. On the morning of December 11th, the Vietnamese Karatedo team will begin their first day of competition.
At the 16th Southeast Asian Student Games held in Laos, the Vietnamese student sports delegation had 258 athletes competing in 12 sports and won 119 medals, including 56 gold medals, 35 silver medals, and 28 bronze medals, ranking second overall (Malaysia ranked first with 180 medals).
According to Vietnam+
