For the first time in history, Paris played host to the iconic Kun Khmer All Stars boxing event on June 24th, an intercontinental showdown co-organised with French-based RAHU Fight III and Prodal Poran Club. The martial arts spectacle, traditionally held in Cambodia, found its new battleground at the Michel-Jazy Gymnasium in Bussy-Saint-Georges. Seven exciting matches were staged, with four electrifying face-offs between Cambodian and French fighters. France’s own Alexandra Chatenet, a 23-year-old Khmer martial artist who discovered the sport at 14, stood as a testament to the international appeal of Khmer boxing. Led by Sorn Elite, the dynamic founder of…
Author: Chhorn Norn
In a determined foray into the world of international climbing, Cambodian sports delegates coach Sim Rorn, and athletes Sambath Pheaktra and Im Vinnith have embarked on a transformative journey. Currently in Italy, they’re sharpening their skills in preparation for the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup finals, slated for June 30 to July 2 in Switzerland. Backed by Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, the National Olympic Committee (NOCC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the trio left their homeland on June 7. Their collective sights set on scaling the peaks of the IFSC Climbing World Cup,…
The Cambodian Premier League’s roster for the 2023-2024 season gains fresh faces, as Prey Veng Football Club and ISI Dangkor Senchey FC secure their candidacies. Both teams have successfully met the rigorous requirements for a national club license, enabling their ascension from the ranks. On June 18, Satoshi Saito, the Cambodian Premier League’s executive director, warmly welcomed the two teams. Alongside stalwarts like Phnom Penh Crown and Visakha Football Club, the newcomers stand ready for the challenge, weaving a richer tapestry of competition. The newly minted members won their places after fully satisfying the league’s stringent five-point criteria. Spanning administrative,…
Sou Bali, a Cambodian-Iranian, has made history as the first Cambodian athlete to win a bronze medal at the Asian Under-23 Wrestling Championship (U23). In an electrifying revelation, the Cambodian wrestling delegation, spearheaded by Komeil Ghasemi and Chou So Theara, is set to bring back the accolades from the fifth World Nomad Games to Cambodia on June 20. Bali, a two-time SEA Games gold medallist representing Cambodia, spectacularly defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Arslanbek Turdubekov 10-0 at the U23 Asian Championship. However, he later lost on points in a nail-biting semi-final match against Turkmenistan’s Zyyamuhammet Saparov. Despite this defeat, Bali secured a bronze…
A team of Cambodian athletes with intellectual disabilities is in Berlin to compete in the Special Olympics World Games. Their ambition is to secure a medal in athletics and boules, the latter being a beloved game in many European countries and former French colonies. Comprising four athletes – sportsmen Prak Van, Vibol Mongkul, and sportswomen Nuth Sophana, Horn Chanthol – the team is under the leadership of the Secretary of State Sem Sokha from the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation. Sokha is also the deputy head of the National Special Olympics Committee of Cambodia. Team coach Chab…
The great success of the recently-concluded 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games have given the people of Cambodia a clearer understanding of how sports can keep them healthy so they can contribute to national development, explained Vath Chamroeun, secretary-general of the national organising committees for SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games (CAMSOC-CAMAPGOC). He noted that 3,900 Cambodians entered the 11th Phnom Penh International Half Marathon, held on June 11, to celebrate the birthday of the Queen Mother ahead of June 18. The figure shows an increase on the 3,621 runners who entered last year’s event. “We had a…
Prime Minister Hun Sen reaffirmed that Cambodia’s primary purpose in hosting this year’s 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games is not about claiming medals, but about organising a friendly, safe competition, and offering hospitality to all of the Kingdom’s guests, so they have a chance to experience the true heart of Cambodia. Speaking at the June 7 groundbreaking ceremony of the Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway and bridge across the Mekong River, he recalled the Kingdom’s record breaking run to fourth on the medal table at the recent 32nd SEA Games. “We secured 81 gold, 74 silver and 127 bronze…
Long jump athlete Vet Chantha tearfully shared her difficult path to triumph on the international stage, explaining that her gold medal achievement at the 12th ASEAN Para Games was a victory forged through her arduous experiences. As a disabled woman born to a destitute family, her journey to success is all the more impressive. Chantha considers her mother, who has been a widow since the age of 38, to be a true heroine and the most important person in her life. “I owe my heartfelt thanks to my mother. Regardless of me being hailed as a sporting hero by the…
Prime Minister Hun Sen, buoyed by the successful hosting of the 32nd ASEAN Games, has challenged all ASEAN nations to aim for the global stage by bidding to host the International Olympic Games or Football World Cup. He shared his vision while inaugurating the 12th ASEAN Para Games on June 3 at Cambodia’s Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh. Featuring sporting delegations from 11 ASEAN countries, the Para Games’ opening ceremony was a spectacle that drew thousands of enthusiastic spectators. “Following our triumphant hosting of the 32nd SEA Games, Cambodia has furthered ASEAN’s cause for unity and has elevated…
Nigerian fighter Munonye Emmanuel Onyedikachi, known as Manu, was granted Cambodian citizenship by a recent Royal Decree. He had resided in the Kingdom for more than a decade, and represented Kun Khmer in the ring for all of that time. Manu explained that he loves Khmer martial arts from his heart. “They are unique, and that’s what first attracted my interest,” he said. He has fought 57 times, winning 50, and losing just 7 matches since 2008. Whenever he fights outside of the Kingdom, he proudly displays the Cambodian flag. “I enjoy classic boxing and MMA, but I love Khmer…