The 13th ASEAN University Games, the biggest sports tournament for students in members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) lifted curtains here Saturday.

The event's opening ceremony started with the parade of nearly 1,100 young athletes of nine delegations, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and host Vietnam, and was followed by splendid artistic performances beautified by dancing laser light at the Hanoi Stadium packed with some 20,000 spectators.

The athletes are vying for 157 sets of medals from 12 sports events, namely athletics, badminton, basketball, chess, football, karate, pencak silat, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball at the biennial tournament, held in Vietnam for the first time.

Vietnam, finishing fifth at the 12th ASEAN University Games in Indonesia with nine golds, four silvers and seven bronzes, is aiming higher position at the 13th edition. Host Vietnam, defending champion Thailand and Indonesia are favorites to be crowned at the tournament.

Malaysia is scheduled to host the 14th edition in 2008. ASEAN groups Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Myanmar.