>>> Hoang Xuan Vinh makes history for Vietnam with Olympic gold
>>> Paralympics 2016: Vietnam wins first-ever gold, breaks world record
The event was attended by representatives from permanent missions of countries to ASEAN and its partners such as Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and Brazil.
Olympians and Paralympians from ASEAN member states brought home a total of 49 medals, half of which were won in badminton, weightlifting and Boccia, contributing to making ASEAN a region of high competitiveness on the sporting map of the world.
On behalf of all ASEAN athletes, Vietnam’s Olympic gold medalist Hoang Xuan Vinh noted “Each competition is an opportunity to make new friends. I believe that we will attain more achievements in the future so that ASEAN will stand out on the world map”.
In his welcome address, Deputy ASEAN Secretary-General for Socio-Cultural Community Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee congratulated all of the medalists, expressing his hopes that these achievements would continue to inspire future generations.
Sport brings people together and is a powerful tool to attract, mobilise and inspire communities aiming to promote social inclusion and increasingly strong development, he noted.
Dato Ahmad Shapawi, Director General of the National Sport Council of Malaysia said that the ceremony aimed to recognise and honour the pride and aspiration they brought to ASEAN during the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Sports play a big role in promoting solidarity for a more successful ASEAN in the future,” he added.
