The Long Biên Gymnasium in Hà Nội is ready for the 31st SEA Games. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

SEA Games

HÀ NỘI   With only a few days to go until the opening ceremony of the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, the capital city and 11 localities in neighbouring provinces, are ready to welcome both athletes and crowds from across the region. 

The 3x3 and 5x5 basketball competitions will take place at the Thanh Trì Gymnasium, as Việt Nam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore battle it out for gold. 

Preparations for the Games have been completed, including decorations along main roads and competition locations, creating a bustling and exciting atmosphere for the big event, which will officially take place between May 12-23.

The Long Biên Gymnasium has readied facilities for the Games, meeting the requirements of the organising committee. The gymnasium has a capacity of 300 seats and will host dancesport on May 15-16.

The multi-purpose gymnasium in Đan Phượng suburban district will be the venue for jujitsu on May 14 -15. Many of the Games' activities have been organised in Đan Phượng.

The Đan Phượng Gymnasium competition floor has been renovated, repaired and equipped with lighting systems and air conditioners. Refreshment facilities inside and outside the gymnasium have also been refurbished. In addition, 14 functional rooms have been built at the request of the Games’ organising committee.

The Director of the Centre for Culture, Information and Sports in Đan Phượng, Bùi Thị Quyên, said to prepare for the regional biggest sports event, many activities were held at the gymnasium to test its operational capacity.

Sóc Sơn District will not only host the vovinam event but also the sports delegations before they arrive for competitions. Therefore, security in the area and at Nội Bài International Airport has been heightened.

Hosting the wushu competition, the gymnasium in Cầu Giấy District has been upgraded to meet international competition standards. 

As planned, wushu martial artists will compete on May 12-15 for 21 medals. The goal of the Vietnamese team is to win at least three golds.

The sports authority of Cầu Giấy said that the gymnasium is a spacious, airy and modern area. It has many functional rooms, including VIP, referee, conference and medical rooms. It is often selected as the venue for large-scale sports, cultural and artistic activities in the city. VNS