Dressed in black uniforms with white belts, eight skilled fighters demonstrate their skills with staves and knives, as well as advanced punching, kicking and wresting techniques. When combined, these unique techniques are known as pencak silat – a full-body fighting form which incorporates strikes, grappling and throwing. Pencak silat is the national martial art of Indonesia, but has been embraced by the soldiers of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF). Each of the dedicated athletes demonstrating their talents is a loyal member of the Kingdom’s army. The International Pencak Silat Federation was established in 1948, with the sport first contested…
Author: Chhorn Norn
Although she is a descendant of the royal family, Princess Norodom Amrita does not lead the comfortable life one might expect, surrounded by servants befitting her lineage. Instead, she has chosen to pursue equestrian skills, aspiring to use this talent as a means to elevate Cambodia’s stature, in keeping with the legacy of her grandfather, the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk. While her accomplishments on the international stage are still developing, her victory at the 1st Southeast Asian (SEA) Youth Cup in the Thai capital Bangkok last year, where she secured a gold medal, stands as a significant achievement. This…
The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) and other involved parties have scheduled the Sihanoukville International Half Marathon for April 7, aiming to showcase the country’s beaches and boost tourism. NOCC secretary-general Vath Chamroeun announced that the ninth iteration of the race will start and finish at Ochheuteal Beach, during a March 18 press conference held at NOCC headquarters in Phnom Penh. He said the committee has opened the application process and invited the public to join the event. Chamroeun urged people, especially residents of Preah Sihanouk province, to participate, emphasising the opportunity to spotlight the country’s exceptional beachfronts alongside…
With the wisdom he learned through his own struggle to become one of Cambodia’s first post-war athletes to rise to the top of the sporting world, Vath Chamroeun understands the value sport can play in bringing hope to a nation. Having led national athletes and brought glory to the nation in various regional sporting events, Chamroeun now dreams of seeing Cambodia’s first Olympic medal being claimed by a female athlete. A member of Cambodia’s five-person sporting delegation to the 1996 Olympic Games – the first since 1970 – Chamroeun’s achievements in the sport of wrestling have seen him go on…
After a prolonged silence with no competition for over four months, the Cambodian national football team is set to resume training in March, in anticipation of participating in the FIFA Series. The Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC) announced on February 28 that the series would be held from March 18-26. The Cambodian team is scheduled to play against the Guinea team from Africa on March 22, followed by a match with the Guyana team from South America on March 26. Series A will take place in Saudi Arabia, offering the Cambodian team a fresh opportunity to showcase their skills. This…
Two-time SEA Games gold medallist Bird Sangkhem – along with promoter and matchmaker Sreu Sreng, widely known as “Samnob”, and his coach Sen Bunthen – left Cambodia for Australia on February 7, where he will prepare to fight for a World Boxing Council (WBC) belt. Scheduled for February 17, Sangkhem will take on Thailand’s Yothin FA Group in the 57kg class, under International Federation Muay Thai Associations (IFMA) rules. Even though Sangkhem has fought many international bouts, and claimed gold at the 2022 and 2023 SEA Games, when he climbs into the Sydney ring, it will be his first time…