Southeast Asian Games kick off in Vietnam

Dancers perform during the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, May 12, 2022. (MINH HOANG / AP)

HANOI – The 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) opened Thursday at My Dinh National Stadium in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi.

Thousands of spectators, including officials, athletes and coaches, attended the opening ceremony.

It is the second time Vietnam has hosted the event, as the 22nd SEA Games also opened at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi in December 2003

The region’s biggest sporting event kicked off six months later than originally scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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It is the second time Vietnam has hosted the event, as the 22nd SEA Games also opened at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi in December 2003.

The 31st SEA Games feature 40 sports with 526 events as well as 5,100 athletes from 11 countries, and will conclude on May 23.

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As of Thursday, Vietnam tops the medal tally with ten gold, seven silver and ten bronze medals.

The country has set a target of 140 gold medals for the regional biennial sports event.