Hanoi (VNA) – Over 2,000 people,including 150 outstanding athletes, joined a relay in response to the 29thSoutheast Asian Games (SEA Games 29) and the 9th Southeast Asian Games forAthletes with Physical Disabilities (Para Games 9) in Hanoi on April 9.
Addressing the event, Malaysian Deputy Ministerof Youth and Sports Datuk M.Sarvana said the programme was initiated byMalaysia to encourage support from local people for SEA Games 29 and Para Games9 slated for August in Malaysia.
It also aims to raise public awareness of thehealthy lifestyle and foster solidarity among ASEAN countries, he added.
The race consists of three stages. The baton waspassed from the Malaysian Deputy Minister to Vietnamese Deputy Minister ofCulture, Sports and Tourism Le Khanh Hai, and to Olympic Rio2016 gold medalist Hoang Xuan Vinh.
The race started and finished at Ly Thai ToFlower Garden, passing various iconic locations in Hanoi.
At thefinish point, head of the GeneralDepartment of Sports and Physical Training Vuong BichThang received the baton from athletes and handed over it to arepresentative from Timor Leste, the next destination of the relay.
Hanoi is the sixth destination of the relayafter Brunei, the Philippines, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.
The race will continue in Timor Leste, Cambodia,Indonesia and Singapore before coming to host Malaysia in May.
SEA Games 29 will be organised in Malaysia fromAugust 19-31 while Para Games 9 will take place from September 17-23.-VNA