Tokyo, Japan, July 26, 2021: Although an Olympic Games medal is only a distant dream for many athletes and countries here in Tokyo, this does not mean they don’t have their own targets and ambitions.
Take the case of Cambodia.
Tokyo 2020 will be their 10th appearance at the Olympics since their debut in 1956 and they have yet to win a medal of any colour.
As well as personal bests and national records at stake for the three athletes – two in swimming and one in track and field – Cambodia is also keen to make a mark back home as they will be hosting the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2023 for the first time in history.
This gives the athletes and the National Olympic Committee the opportunity to promote sport and international competition in the buildup to the SEA Games, which will involve 11 National Olympic Committees from the region.
NOCC Secretary General Vath Chamroeun posted from Tokyo to inform the public that the three athletes are continuing to train hard every day ahead of their events, set for July 30 and July 31.
“In the last few days our coaches in both sports have pushed the training and taken the experience and techniques of other countries,” he said.
Vath appealed for the people back home to get behind the Cambodian athletes in the pool and on the track.
Kheun Bunpichmorakat, only 14, and Hem Puch will compete in the women’s and men’s 50m freestyle respectively on Friday, July 30, and 100m sprinter Pen Sokong will be on the track in the 100m the following day.
