Live coverage of the SEA Games 31 Closing Ceremony

Live coverage of the SEA Games 31 Closing Ceremony

21h: Gymnast Dinh Phuong Thanh carried the SEA Games flag onto the stage. Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and President of the Vietnam Olympic Committee Nguyen Van Hung handed the flag to the representative of the Cambodian Olympic Committee - the next host country of the Games.

20h45: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivered the closing remarks at the 31st SEA Games:

"The 31st Southeast Asian Games have been a resounding success. On behalf of the leaders of the Vietnamese Party and State, I declare the Games closed. The torch of belief in victory; the torch of friendship and solidarity; the torch of peace and development in Southeast Asia will forever shine brightly."

We will meet again at the 32nd SEA Games in the beautiful and hospitable country of Cambodia. Goodbye and see you again. Thank you very much!

20h40: Mr. Nguyen Van Hung - Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Mr. Chu Ngoc Anh - Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee presented awards to outstanding athletes at the 31st SEA Games: Nguyen Thi Oanh (Vietnam, 3 individual gold medals in athletics), Joshua Robert Atkinson (Philippines, 4 gold medals in athletics), Nguyen Huy Hoang (Vietnam, 5 gold medals, breaking 2 SEA Games records), Quah Jing Wen (Singapore, 6 gold medals, breaking 1 SEA Games record).

20h30: Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung delivered a speech at the closing ceremony, which included the following passage:

"The success of the 31st SEA Games is not only reflected in the efforts of host country Vietnam, the enthusiastic support of countries in the region, and the medals and new records set, but also in the song of honesty and nobility, a testament to a bright future for regional sports that is gradually approaching the level of the continent and the world."

At this Games, the Organizing Committee awarded a total of 1.759 medals, including 525 gold medals, 522 silver medals, and 712 bronze medals; with 30 SEA Games records set. The Vietnamese sports delegation made history at the SEA Games with a record of 205 gold medals, surpassing the record of 194 gold medals achieved by the Indonesian sports delegation at the 1997 Jakarta SEA Games; breaking SEA Games records in 17 out of 30 events.

The 31st SEA Games truly became a celebration of solidarity and friendship. The theme of the Games, "For a Stronger Southeast Asia," shone brightly and was a resounding success. The Organizing Committee of the Games expresses its deep gratitude for the attention of the Party, State, Government of Vietnam, central ministries and agencies, and the localities hosting the Games' events.

20 hrsThe closing ceremony of the 31st SEA Games opened with an artistic performance showcasing the cultural and traditional colors of Hanoi. The audience enjoyed songs about Hanoi, performed by artists Dong Hung, Khanh Linh, Bao Tram, and Pham Anh Duy, alongside glimpses of everyday life in the thousand-year-old city.

The theme of the SEA Games 31 closing ceremony was "Gather to shine." The program's significance lies in the fact that the 12 days of competition brought a new vitality of the era, a youthful energy, and the strength to overcome all difficulties and the pandemic. Furthermore, the success of SEA Games 31 demonstrated the strength and solidarity of Vietnam with all the nations in Southeast Asia.

After nearly two weeks of competition, the Vietnamese team won 205 gold medals, almost double the number won by the runner-up, Thailand.

However, finishing first overall at the SEA Games 31 is not the ultimate goal. The target for Vietnamese sports is higher-level competitions such as the Asian Games and the Olympics. These are two arenas where the performance of Vietnamese athletes still needs improvement.

During the two weeks of competition, most venues were packed with spectators. Thien Truong Stadium is a prime example, always attracting large crowds of fans to watch the matches even without the Vietnam U23 team participating.

"Before the 31st SEA Games, not only I but many others thought this would be a difficult event in terms of organization, professional standards, and public support. However, the government has basically controlled the pandemic situation, so we can open our doors for people to watch the athletes compete.

What impressed and surprised us most at the 31st SEA Games was the support from the fans and the people. All the stadiums and arenas were packed with spectators. During the match between U23 Laos and U23 Singapore, Thien Truong Stadium even had to be closed due to the overwhelming crowd. Outside the stadium, spectators were pushing and shoving, preventing many from entering, even though it wasn't a match involving the U23 Vietnam team.

I instructed the organizers of the competition venues to make it possible for the public to watch live. If the stands were full, spectators should be allowed to sit on the steps, as long as they could get in to watch. Most athletes had family and relatives who came to support them. Sports have become an integral part of Vietnamese life. People's perceptions of sports have changed significantly."This was emphasized by Mr. Tran Duc Phan, Head of the Vietnamese sports delegation at the 31st SEA Games."

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