VIETNAM’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced the official closing of the 31st Southeast Asian Games yesterday, describing the event as a demonstration of regional solidarity, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.

Addressing the closing ceremony, he said it was Vietnam’s honour to welcome distinguished guests and more than 10,000 athletes, coaches, and referees to SEA Games 31, the region’s biggest sporting event, reported Vietnam News Agency.

Pham noted that the Covid-19 pandemic forced the games to be delayed from November 2021 to May 2022, but it has brought countries even closer together, more united, and determined to weather all difficulties and challenges to successfully organise SEA Games 31.

The countries gathered at the games to help affirm Asean’s vision and mission of solidarity, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development, according to the Vietnamese leader.

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Nguyen Van Hung, who is also Chairman of the Organising Committee, said 1,759 medals were awarded, including 525 golds, 522 silvers, and 712 bronzes, while 30 new records were set. Vietnam went down in the games’ history with 205 gold medals and 17 records.

At the closing ceremony, the Organising Committee honoured four athletes with outstanding performance, that were swimmer Nguyen Huy Hoang and runner Nguyen Thi Oanh of Vietnam, swimmer Jing Wen Quah of Singapore, and runner Joshua Robert Atkinson of Thailand.

Vietnam also handed over the Asean flag to Cambodia, which will host the 32nd SEA Games in 2023. – Bernama, May 24, 2022.