‘Spearhead’ sports hoped to help Cambodia reap golds at SEA Games 31

Cambodia may obtain gold medals in some sports including petanque, vovinam, taekwondo and muay at the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) in Vietnam. (Photo: CAMSOC)

Hanoi (VNA) -  Cambodia may obtain gold medals in some sports including petanque, vovinam, taekwondo and muay at the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31) in Vietnam, Secretary-General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia Vath Chamroeun underlined.

According to the 32nd Cambodian SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC), the country is supporting athletes competing at the SEA Games 31. 

According to CAMSOC, the national sport training centre under the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport has gathered national teams to compete at 32 out of the 40 sports of the SEA Games 31.

Cambodia has finalised the list of 500 athletes at this year’s Games during a meeting with heads of Southeast Asian delegations to prepare for the regional event.

He said he believes that Cambodia may gain more gold medals at the SEA Games 31 than at the previous one in the Philippines in 2019.

Three years ago, Cambodian athletes brought home 46 medals - four gold, six silver and 36 bronze - ranking eighth out of the 11 participating countries.

Cambodian athletes will compete at various martial arts to gain experience towards targets set for the 32nd SEA Games slated for 2023 in Phnom Penh. It will be the first time for Cambodia to host the biennial regional sporting event since the first SEA Games in 1959.

SEA Games 31 will run in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring localities from May 12 to 23, featuring 40 sports with 526 events. This will be the second edition of SEA Games hosted by Vietnam after the first one in 2003./.