Kickboxer Sungnoi Chaiwat of Thailand (in red) vs Duong Danh Hoat of Vietnam in men’s under 54kg low kick category on May 10. Sungnoi won 3-1. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Thailand’s kickboxing team, led by Muay Thai legend Buakaw Banchemek, has set the target of obtaining the top position at the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) in Vietnam, according to the SEA Games 31 organising committee. 

The Thai team has seven male and five female kickboxers.

This is only the second consecutive Games that kickboxing has been included in the competition programme.

The Vietnamese team won four gold medals out of a total of eight, surpassing the host Philippines to lead the team rankings at SEA Games 30 held in the Philippines in 2019.

The kickboxing event will take place from May 8-13 at the Bac Ninh gymnasium with two contents -  full contact and low kick - in 12 categories.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South East Asia”, and featuring 40 sports with 523 events, is being held in the capital and 11 neighbouring provinces and cities until May 23.

The biennial event was initially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic./.