Cambodia doubles SEA Games medal quota

Mr. Hun Sen attended a party in Phnom Penh on April 3 with 4,264 athletes and coaches attending the 32nd SEA Games and 12th Para Games of Cambodia. Here, the head of the Government of this country encourages athletes, believing they create miracles.

"Each of you is facing an opportunity to enhance Cambodia's image in the international arena," Mr. Hun Sen said during the ceremony. "Victory will come from hard work. Whether at SEA Games or Para Games, I am looking forward to a record. Playing at home will give you more motivation. Hopefully our medals will go up. twice as many as before."

Cambodia won 63 medals of all kinds at the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam, ranking eighth among 11 participating delegations. Of these, their athletes brought home nine gold medals. Compared to the 31st SEA Games, the number of Cambodian athletes attending this year's Games is eight times higher. The host country also brought many strong sports into the competition system at the Games. Among them are strange subjects such as Bokator martial arts, Kun Khmer martial arts and Ok Chaktrong chess. Particularly, the traditional martial art Bokator has up to 32 competitions.

The 32nd SEA Games took place from May 5 to 17, with 581 events in 37 sports, with the participation of about 12,000 officials, coaches and athletes from 11 Southeast Asian countries. "This will be the biggest sporting event we have ever organized," added Hun Sen.

Immediately after the SEA Games, Cambodia continued to host the Para Games, held from June 3 to 9 with 431 competitions in 13 subjects.