All posts tagged: Olympics

Isabelle Inthisone: Lao America’s Figure Skating Phenom

Isabelle Inthisone. Remember that name. Isabelle was born on 05/29/2004 and has qualified to compete at the 2018 U.S. National Figure Skating Championship in San Jose, CA. Her road to Nationals include winning the Silver medal at the Upper Great Lakes Regional Championship and the Pewter medal at the Midwestern Sectionals. She’s currently just 13 years old! While she’s still a young figure skater competing at the Intermediate level (3 levels before the Senior level)—her accomplishment is no less remarkable, because she is Lao America’s first ever figure skater to compete at this level…and perhaps, at all! Before we get to her interview below, here’s some background on this incredible athlete and her road to the 2018 US Figure Skating Championships. Just the top 12 skaters in each competitive level from across the nation can compete in this elite competition, happening from December 29-January 7 in San Jose, CA at the SAP Center. While only the senior levels are shown on primetime TV, you can catch every performance on Ice Network or, you can always subscribe to …

PHOTOS: #TeamLaos leads with 6 athletes at Rio 2016 Olympics

1980 Moscow Olympics was the first time the world saw that Laos could compete in the international arena with its own athletes. Ranging from judo to swimming, up and coming and well-seasoned athletes have taken a chance at a medal. In the 5 seconds that spanned the screen, the Lao Olympians marched proudly with their flag and the women in their full sinh. So far, zero medals have been won but it doesn’t mean these athletes aren’t good nor equipped to win in the near future. Cheer on the six athletes at Rio Olympics 2016: Anousone Xaysa (Men’s Athletics) Budcharern Siri Arun (Women’s Swimming) Inthavong Santisouk (Men’s Swimming) Phounsavath Ariya (Women’s Athletics) Phoutthavong Laenly (Women’s Athletics) Sithisane Soukphaxay (Men’s Judo) Siri Arun is the youngest of the group, a promising 14-year-old swimmer who is ecstatic to be in her first major competition. Contrary to the media’s popular narrative that the ‘poor land-locked communist country’ can’t produce winners, Laos has come a long way with much progress in the arena of sports to celebrate. Read up on …