Host Myanmar has won the second gold medal at the Chinlone team’s men event at the 27th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) following the first taken by the women team on December 4.

With the first two gold medals, Myanmar now ranks first in the total ranking.

Six countries, host Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore and Thailand are playing in the six-day sport of four Chinlone events from December 4 to 9.

Chinlone is a traditional sport in Myanmar somewhat similar to sepak takraw. Each member of the six-athlete team enters the circle marked on the floor one after another for dribbling a Chinlone with several set touches without letting it fall during 10-minute section.

The teams play three-sets, 10 minutes in each set and every single touch is observed for points or reductions.

The 27th SEA Games will take place from December 11. However, some competitions already began on December 1, such as floor ball and Chinlone.

The region’s biggest sports event consist of 33 sporting events, providing 460 gold, 460 silver and 637 bronze medals in four different places, namely Naypyidaw, Yangon, Mandalay and Ngwe Saung beach.

Myanmar added its 14 traditional sports in the competition list at the event, eight of them are considered as the country’s strong sports.

Vietnam has send a combined team of 750 athletes and officials to the Games, competing in 29 of 33 sports events at the tournament with a hope of bringing home at least 70 gold medals.

At the last SEA Games held in Jakarta two years ago, Vietnam ranked third, winning 96 gold medals, trailing the host Indonesia with 182 and Thailand with 109.-VNA