The countdown started at a ceremony held at Ly Thai To Statue and Hoan Kiem lake area on April 11th. It attracted more than 3,000 athletes and local people.
SEA Games 31, themed "For a Stronger South East Asia", will be held in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring provinces and cities from May 12th to 23rd. Featuring 40 sports, it is expected to attract around 10,000 participants. The ceremony also saw the organisation of the Olympic Run Day for Public Health and the launch of the 47th edition of the Hà Nội Mới Newspaper Run.
In response, participants took to the streets to run around the lake. The race aims to raise public awareness of the importance of physical training and improvement.
