Honorary awards presented to Tatmadaw member athletes and coaches in the 11th ASEAN Para Games, International Army Games-2022 and 3rd World Cadet Games-2022
NAY PYI TAW September 30
A ceremony to present honorary awards to the athletes of the Tatmadaw who won the medals in the 11th ASEAN Para Games, International Army Games-2022 and 3rd World Cadet Games-2022 and coaches who made efforts for the athletes to secure prizes took place at the parlour of Zeyathiri Beikman in Nay Pyi Taw this afternoon, attended by Chairman of the State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Commanderin-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win, SAC members, Union ministers, senior military officers from the Office of the Commanderin-Chief (Army), athletes and coaches and winners in the contests.
Securing victories in international sports competitions means protecting the State First, the Senior General said that today’s global countries are building the modern armed forces to be able to defend the State at full capacity. In this regard, Tatmadaw members are being nurtured continuously to have physical health and fitness and mental perseverance and diligence in addition to having skills to comprehensively handle the military equipment for enabling the armed forces to be a capable armed force with fulfillment of quality military equipment. The Myanmar Tatmadaw sets an aim for building the powerful and capable modern patriotic armed force for effectively and sharply serving the State defence duty.
The primary duty of the Tatmadaw is to defend the State. The word defending is inclusiveof perpetuation of independence and sovereignty of the State and prevention of internal and international destructive elements as well as protection of the prestige of the State and the Tatmadaw.
Hence, the efforts of the Tatmadaw in securing victories in the international sports competitions are to protecting the State. The sport can show off health and fitness, perseverance, diligence and unity of a country and an ethnic. The Tatmadaw members compete in the games with sporting spirit based on patriotic spirit.
Only when they have patriotic spirit will they have the spirit to defend the State. Hence, the Senior General said he took pride in victory for endeavbours of those athletes in the competition based on the patriotic spirit and the spirit to defend the State.
The Senior General noted that the morale of the Tatmadaw members can be seen in the competitions that they are keen to serve the interests of the State from respective paces with strong spirit, perseverance and diligence. Myanmar victorious athletes secured 43 medals—14 gold, 12 silver and 17 bronze medals—in track and field, swimming, weightlifting, archery and football in the 11th ASEAN Para Games held in Indonesia from 30 July to 6 August 2022.
Nine Tatmadaw member athletes of them secured five gold, four silver and nine bronze medals, totalling 18 in the games.
The ASEAN Para Games has been held once every two years since 2011. The Tatmadaw who sacrificed their limbs for the country brought honour to the State and the Tatmadaw in these competitions. They have to maintain their victories in addition to good traditions of senior athletes. The Senior General urged other Tatmadaw members who sacrificed their limbs for the State to take sport exercises not only for their health conditions but for the interests of the State and the Tatmadaw with the spirit of uplifting the prestige of the State.
Of the Tatmadaw’s three major tasks, the second task of training ensures that Tatmadaw members undergo military training and skills taught by Tatmadaw on a constant basis.
To gain technical experiences and friendship, the Tatmadaw has participating in International Army Games since 2018 and has now reached the fifth. Together with 37 neighbouring countries, ASEAN countries and world countries, Myanmar participated in the tank skills contest, sniper contest, battleground medical corps skills contest, emergency area contest and traditional cultural contest this year.
Our tank troops have participated in Tank Biathlon for five times including this year. Myanmar stood 16th of 22 teams in 2018, fifth of 11 teams in Division-2 in 2019, fourth of eight teams in Division-2 in 2020, third of eight teams in Division-2 in 2021 and first of 11 teams in Division-2 this year. Myanmar stood third in teams in the sniper contest and third in the fastest sniper contest with rank 4 of seven countries. Moreover, the medal of courage was secured in the medical corps skills contest.
This year’s games held in the Russian Federation, Myanmar also participated in the traditional cultural contest to represent our traditional culture and music.
It stood first in playing musical instruments, first in duet Russian song contest, second in women’s individual song contest, third in the traditional dancing contest, first in People’s Choice Award selected online, third in the cultural booth contest, best price in the cultural booth display, first in the best traditional costume and the award for maintaining military relations. Of the 17 participant countries, Myanmar ranked seventh deservingly.
Moreover, as first ever participant, Myanmar took part in the 3rd World Cadet Games with three out of seven kinds of games. It stood first in quick rifle (individual) contest, second in quick rifle (team) contest, third in precise pistol (team) contest and third in quick pistol (team) contest achieving rank eight out of 20 countries.
Honour for the State and the Tatmadaw
Reviewing the victorious results we achieved in the international games, progress is on the increase year after year.
I reiterate that it is a special honour on behalf of the State and the Tatmadaw. This has been thanks to the enduring skills of individuals and unity. In any sport, “competition is first and foremost”. But with a spirit of uplifting State dignity in the international games, Tatmadaw members participated with their unyielding spirit, perseverance, hard work and confidence they already have, and they achieved success deservingly in various sports and games.
Managers and coaches are also praiseworthy and recognized for their coaching. Reviewing the strong and weak points of our athletes and the advantages of other countries, I want to urge our athletes to continue their efforts for greater success and nurture the spirit of esprit de corps and celebrating victory.
Tatmadaw members must assume that achieving victories in international games and international military games means raising dignity of the Tatmadaw and the State. Prize winners need to continue trying not to slow down their success but to achieve greater success.
For the State and the Tatmadaw, they must uplift their patriotism and nationalism as well as State image. They must hand down their ideals to the future generations.
Certificates of honour and awards of honour presented
Afterwards, the Senior General presented certificates of honour and awards of honour to coaches and athletes who brought honour to the Tatmadaw. The Senior General presented the certificates and awards to Warrant Officer Kyaw Kyaw Win who won gold in 400-metre individual event, silver in 400-metre teams event, and bronze in 200-metre individual event of track and field in the 11th ASEAN Para Games, Corporal Soe Pay who won gold in 100-metre and 200-metre individual events and silver in 400-metre teams event, Corporal Zaw Min Lwin who gold in shot put individual event, silver in discus individual event, Sergeant Tin Nyo who gold in javelin individual event and bronze in shot put individual event, Captain Htin Aung Kyaw on behalf of Team-1 who won the first prize in Tank Biathlon (Tank Crews Competition) Division 2 of International Army Games-2022, Captain Than Toe Aung on behalf of Team-2, and Captain Tun Tauk Naing on behalf of Team-3.
Then, the Vice-Senior General presented certificates of honour and awards of honour by the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services to Lance Corporal Aung Tun Lin who won silver in shot put individual event, bronze in javelin and discus individual events of track and field in the 11th ASEAN Para Games, Lance Corporal Soe Than who won silver in javelin individual event and bronze in high jump event, Corporal Aung Aung Htet and Private (substitute) Paing Zay Kyaw who won the first prize in traditional orchestra competition team event in traditional cultural competitions of International Army Games-2022 and Sergeant (substitute) Htoo Eainna Kyaw who won first prize in couple event and second in single event of Russian song competition.
Next, Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Maung Maung Aye, Commander- in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Moe Aung, Adjutant-General Lt- Gen Myo Zaw Thein and Quartermaster-General Lt-Gen Kyaw Swa Lin presented certificates of honour and awards of honour by the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services to athletes and coaches who performed to win prizes in 11th ASEAN Para Games, International Army Games-2022 and 3rd World Cadet Games-2022.
Words of thanks expressed
Captain Than Toe Aung, on behalf of the medal winning athletes and coaches, briefed on the state of participation in 11th ASEAN Para Games, International Army Games-2022 and 3rd World Cadet Games-2022 and thanked the Chairman of State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services for presenting such certificates saying efforts will be made to achieve similar successes in the sports events to come.
Tea reception hosted in honour of athletes and coaches and cordially greeted
Later, the Senior General and party hosted a tea reception in honour of the athletes and coaches along with the presentation of performance by the Myawady Music Band.
After the ceremony, the Senior- General and party cordially greeted and encouraged the Tatmadaw athletes who won prizes in 11th ASEAN Para Games and coaches who performed to let the athletes win prizes and the Tatmadaw athletes who won prizes in International Army Games-2022 and 3rd World Cadet Games-2022.