25th SEA GAMES, Vientiane, Laos 2009

By Chia Han Keong
In Vientiane

HOW does Laos feel about hosting the South-east Asia (SEA) Games, its first major sporting event? The answer could be found last Friday at the National Sports Complex swimming pool.

To the raucous spectators watching the night's swimming finals, it was easy to deduce that the Laos women's 4x100m freestyle team were in trouble, even before they took to the water.

As the teams lined up at the starting end of the pool, it was clear that all the four Laotian swimmers were at least a head shorter than their well-toned counterparts from other Asean countries.

It was bound to be an ugly race for them, even as they politely bowed to the applauding crowd.

Indeed, the race was almost farcical, had it not been for the spectators, who graciously clapped and cheered as the Laos team finished more than a minute slower than the triumphant Singapore team.

This was not an isolated incident.

Throughout the swimming programme, the Laotians have been massively overmatched, frequently ending up the lone swimmers in the pool long after the others have completed the race.

This scenario is likely to be repeated at the neighbouring National Sports Complex main stadium, where the track-and-field programme started yesterday.

Yet, it is wrong to say that the Laos athletes were embarrassed at being so far behind in the regional sporting arena. Far from it, they were positively cheerful - giddy, even - that they could complete the event among their friendly competitors.

And that is exactly the same way Laos feels about hosting the Games, for it can hardly be concerned about putting on an unforgettable, superbly-organised extravaganza for regional athletes. It just wants to show that it can do it.

And to this predominantly rural, agricultural country, the fact that the SEA Games has been held without any major glitches so far has happily amazed the residents of Vientiane.

They will patiently endure lengthy waits for shuttle buses to the remote National Sports Complex and holler themselves hoarse in a bid to inspire their athletes.

For me, the most amazing scene was when the entire staff at the main press centre stopped work, sat down and cheered at the television screens when the opening ceremony was aired, enchanted by the impressive mass performances put up by their countrymen.

This is by no means meant to be condescending towards the people of Laos, who have charmed the foreign media with their graciousness and patience.

Like the Mekong River, along which Vientiane is perched, life for the city's residents flows at its own pace.

Like their athletes, they are not concerned with how fast they do their daily tasks, but whether they are completed.

It is a beguiling rhythm, and this utterly-unique SEA Games shows that it is possible for the country to host an enjoyable multi-sports event despite the bare-bones, spartan conditions in which the Games are played out.

Take the time when I was sitting in a taxi, fretting about being late for an event, when the driver complimented Singapore's football team.

Naturally, I returned the compliment, as Laos have, for once, surpassed expectations by qualifying for the football semi-finals.

And so we chatted blissfully for the next 10 minutes about football and, by the time we were done, I was at the event venue.

Right on time.

hankeong@sph.com.sg