2003 SEA Games

XXII Southeast Asian Games
Host cityHanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
MottoSolidarity, Cooperation for Peace and Development
Nations11
Debuting countriesTimor Leste
Athletes5000
Events442 in 32 sports
Opening5 December 2003
Closing13 December 2003
Opened byPhan Văn Khải
Prime Minister of Vietnam
Athlete's OathNguyễn Mạnh Tường
Judge's OathHoàng Quốc Vinh
Torch lighterNguyễn Thúy Hiền
Ceremony venueMỹ Đình National Stadium
Website2003 Southeast Asian Games

The 2003 Southeast Asian Games (Vietnamese: Đại hội Thể thao Đông Nam Á 2003), officially known as the 22nd Southeast Asian Games, SEA Games 22 and also known as Vietnam 2003, was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held from 5 to 13 December 2003 in Hanoi, Vietnam. This was the first time that Vietnam had staged the SEA Games, and it saw East Timor, which had just gained independence in 2002; although not being an ASEAN member and despite its geographical location closer to the Pacific archipelago than the Asian continent, making its debut at the games.[1]

The games was held from 5 to 13 December 2003, although several events had commenced from 29 November 2003. Around 5,000 athletes from 11 participating nations participated at the games, which featured 442 events in 32 sports. Vietnam is the eighth nation to host the Southeast Asian Games after Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and Brunei. The games was opened by Phan Văn Khải, the Prime Minister of Vietnam at the newly constructed Mỹ Đình National Stadium and was closed by Pham Gia Khiem, the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam.

The final medal tally was led by host Vietnam, followed by Thailand and Indonesia. A number of records in Games and National level were broken during this edition. The games were deemed generally successful with the rising standard of competition amongst the participating nations.

  1. ^ "Vietnam to host 2003 games". E-Borneo. 6 September 2001.