Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win addresses ceremony to present State Flag to sports contingent to the 20th ASEAN University Games
NAY PYI TAW July 20
The State Flag was presented to the sports contingent to the 20th ASEAN University Games at the Ministry of Education at 9 am today with an address by Chairman of Education, Health and Human Resources Development Committee Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win.
Also present were SAC members, Union ministers, the Union Civil Service Board chairman, the Nay Pyi Taw Council chairman, deputy ministers, directors general, rectors, athletes of the contingent and officials.
In his address the Vice-Senior General explained the points of the biannual games. He said ASEAN University Sports Council was established in 1980 and games were first held in Thailand in 1981. Myanmar successfully hosted the games in 2018. AUSC is holding the games as a continuous endeavor to promote unity between ASEAN countries and enhance dynamism of friendship, bilateral understanding and ASEAN spirit.
In this world today, sport is an effective diplomatic channel.
It also indicates the image of a country and serves as a means to strengthen international ties.
ASEAN youths can extend friendship and unity through the games in addition to showing their sports ability and improving themselves to be outstanding.
Athletes can also exchange academic and cultural issues.
The games that will be held in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, soon has adopted the theme “Games for Sustainability” with the aim of cementing ASEAN unity and achieving sports development.
Myanmar took part in eight sports event at the 15th games held in Thailand in 2010. With full sporting spirit, Myanmar continue to take part in the 16 games held in Laos in 2012, 17th games held in Indonesia in 2014, and 18th games held in Singapore in 2016 and achieved success to a certain degree.
Myanmar hosted the 19th games in 2018 and its contingent of 353 athletes took part in all the 17 events. It won 24 gold, 26silver and 29 bronze and set a record in sports history. Myanmar will send 33 athletes who will take part in football, archery, sepak takraw and wushu.
Myanmar sports glittered like gold when its athletes won a lot of medals at the Southeast Asia Peninsular Games the country hosted in 1969.The many successes Myanmar football had gained during the pre-War period must be honoured and emulated. Maung Maung Lay of University football team was sent to England as the first scholar during the time.
In the 1960s, Saya Nyein was recorded as the coach who placed the Yangon University team to the top level. Myanmar football team beat Iran in the final of Asia Games held in Bangkok in 1966. Aung Khin and Soe Myint of the then Myanmar team were selections of Yangon University. Aung Khin was even honoured as the golden goal scorer.
Collegian Nay Win, Tun Kyi, Aung Khin, Kenneth Shein, Tin Maung, Soe Myint, Saw Oo, Maung Pyone, Kyaw Kyaw, Maung Maung, Ngwe Kaing, John Tint, Benny Tin Aung, Khin Maung Win, Khin Maung Zaw and Ba Maung who were selected players of Yangon University football team in the post-World War were also athletes from the Myanmar youth team and national team as favorite players of the spectators. Goalkeeper Judson from Yangon University team was selected as Myanmar selected keeper.
Kyaw Han, Aye Tun, San San Pe and Phyu Phyu Zaw from university volleyball team and Nyan Min from basket event were allowed as selected Myanmar players in the international competitions.
Tin Maung Ni who swept two gold medals in the 1962 Asian Games and Nanda Kyaw Swa, who bagged three gold medals in the Yangon SEAP Games in 1969 were university student swimmers.
Selected university players Maung Hla, Kyaw Tun, Myint Myint Khin (Mandalay) and Mya Lay Sein in the badminton sport became national players.
The Vice-Senior General expressed his firm belief that the students from Myanmar universities who will take part in the 20th ASEAN University Games would preserve the fine legacy of university sports sector with victories in successive eras in Myanmar.
As university student athletes have vigorously made preparations for the competitions as a saying goes: Make preparations before competitions, they have to take part in the games with diligence and perseverance in harmony and unison in a bid to set a record of their endeavours in the university sports history. As all citizens wish to seek hoisting the State flag in the competitions among other contending countries, they all need to make all-out efforts in the competitions.
Qualified athletes from universities were selected to take part in the 20th ASEAN University Games. The Vice-Senior General expressed his belief that those athletes were ready to compete in the games with skills in techniques, sports performances and high records.
Athlete youths need to accept that sport victories in all events must be a national duty in order to uplift the prestige of the State, and they are serving such duties.
Nowadays, the government is striving for development of all sectors to keep abreast of other countries while enhancing the sports sector to meet the international standards with systematic plans. In accord with one of the social objectives: to enhance the health, fitness and education quality of the entire nation, efforts are being made to nurture the youths who will shape the future of the nation to become the disciplined, healthy and fit generations with high education qualification.
Sports contests are fair and skillful competitions. As athletes have to compete in the events with firm spirits, it will contribute to uplifting the prestige and integrity of the State and revitalizing the nationalistic spirits. In fact, the sports highlight the health and fitness, diligence, perseverance and unity of a country or a national.
As such, the Vice-Senior General noted that athletes need to make utmost efforts in the games at home and abroad with sporting spirit by showing their brilliant sports kills in order to enhance the health and fitness of the people and sports standard.
If they apply their skills, experiences and practice based on rationality, ready wit, corect perspective and rapid decision in the competition, they will secure the victory.
Medallist athletes in the XXXI SEA Games held in Vietnam in last June were awarded by the State at the gala ceremony.
University student athletes need to forge the sporting spirit based on the sports rules and regulations to secure the victory in a fair manner. They were urged to secure medals for the State and uplift the prestige of the State.
The Vice-Senior General handed over the flag of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to leader of the Myanmar university sports contingent Rector of Yangon University Dr Tin Maung Tun.
Union Minister for Education Dr Nyunt Pe reported on preparatory tasks of the Myanmar university sports contingent.
Later, the Vice-Senior General cordially greeted the athletes who will compete in the 20th ASEAN University Games.