Athletes compete in the Southeast Asian Ouk Chaktrang Championship in January in Cambodia. (Photo: vietnamchess.vn) Kun bokator, formerly known as kun l'bokator, is a traditional Cambodianmartial art that dates back 2,000 years.
This ancient art employs a diverse range of attack techniquesutilising hands, feet, elbows and knees, as well as various weapons, such aslong and short sticks and swords.
Kun bokator's system of movements is incrediblyintricate, with many of the actions mimicking wild animals and traditionalApsara dance styles.
Martial artists in kunbokator are prohibited from jumping to enhance their speed, as iscommon in karate, taekwondo, and boxing.
Kun bokator is divided into two categories, performance andfighting, both of which will be contested at the Games.
At the Southeast Asian Kun Bokator Championship held in Phnom Penhin Cambodia in early April, the Vietnamese team, with the core of traditionalmartial arts athletes, won three gold medals thanks to Nguyen Thi Hoai Nhi inthe women’s 45kg, Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai in the women’s 55kg, and Ngo Duc Manh inthe men’s 70kg category.
In addition, Vietnam also won three more silvers and three bronzesat this pre-SEA Games 32 tournament.
With the above-mentioned excellent achievement, Vietnam hopes totake gold medals in the kun bokator eventsat SEA Games 32.
Kun bokator will include 16 team and nineindividual fighting events, and seven individual and team performance events.Athletes will compete in the men’s 50kg, 55kg, 60kg, 65kg and 70kg weightclasses as well as 45kg, 50kg, 55kg and 60kg weight classes for women.
While kun khmer isCambodia's traditional fighting martial art, the style is similar to Muay Thai. Kun khmer uses punches, kicks andelbows, generating power from hip rotation instead of leg snaps.
Seven teams will compete in kunkhmer in Cambodia for 19 sets of medals.
As Vietnam is not well developed in this sport, at the Games, theVietnamese khmer kun team willbe made up of Muay Thai athletes such as Truong Cao Minh Phat, Bui Yen Ly andHuynh Ha Huu Hieu.
As Muay Thai is not held at SEA Games 32, the above athletes willhope for at least two golds medal in kunkhmer.
In the SEA Games last year, Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat won a gold medalin muay in the men’s 60kg category. This year, he is part of the trainingboard, not competing anymore.
"I have participated in many SEA Games, so this time I wantto give opportunities to young athletes," said the five-time Muay Thaiworld champion Nhat. "I have experience and hope to help young athletes.The whole team and I are preparing the best for the upcoming Games."
According to Vath Chamroeun, Secretary General of the NationalOlympic Committee of Cambodia, hosting the SEA Games is an opportunity forCambodia to introduce sports with national cultural identity. It considers itan opportunity for conservation and development.
Cambodia also included oukchaktrang in the competition. This Khmer type of chess is quitesimilar to the international chess version, with 64 squares and 16 pieces.
To compete in this sport, the Vietnamese oukchaktrang team comprises players with high results at last year'snational championship.
At the Southeast Asian Ouk Chaktrang Championship in January, Vietnamwon two golds, three silvers and one bronze, ranking second in the medal tally,only after the host Cambodia. This will be the basis for Vietnam to aim to wintwo gold medals./.
VNA
