Kathu students head to national sports qualifiers
YOUNG STUDENTS FROM Kathu Municipality were given a rousing send off by officials last Friday (June 28) before heading to a major national sports qualifying competition in Nakhon Sri Thammarat.
Comprising students from several schools and competing under the jurisdiction of Kathu Municipality, the young male and female athletes will be battling it out with other districts from the southern region of Thailand at the Local Administrative Organisation Student Sports Competition of Thailand, Southern Level Qualifying Round.
The 38th annual edition of competition, which is primarily based around athletics and track and fieldbased sports, started on Monday (July 1) and runs until July 10.
This particular edition is also being referred to as the ‘Thung Song Junction Games’, an affectionate nod to the well known railway station in the Thung Song District of Nakhon Sri Thammarat.
To inspire the departing delegation last Friday, Kathu Mayor Wannayut Suthikul delivered a motivational speech at the Kathu City Council building to all the competing athletes, as well as their trainers, coaches, teachers and officials.
Mr Wannayut stressed the importance of the competition in helping develop key social skills, confidence and self-esteem among athletes, while promoting the merits of team work and the appreciation of sporting values such as winning and losing and with grace and dignity.
Furthermore, Mayor Wannayut emphasised how the competition is a great opportunity for the young athletes to develop and potentially forge out a career in the professional arena of sports.
He also reminded the entire delegation representing Kathu Municipality to show respect at all times by adhering to all rules and regulations governing the competition and to show good sportmanship at all times.
Following his speech, Mayor Wannayut distributed sporting uniforms to the athletes in addition to a cheque to team officials that is to be used as a budget to support the trip and their sporting endeavours.
Of note, the official report on the Phuket PR Facebook page made no mention of the exact age range of the student athletes, the overall number of students participating or the specific schools they are representing. The Phuket News