Manama, Bahrain, October 24, 2025: Senior National Olympic Committee of Cambodia official Vath Chamroeun says losing the hosting rights of the Asian Youth Games in 2029 will only make the country more determined to put on the event in a grand scale in the future.
The Olympic Council of Asia decided to divest the 2029 AYG from Cambodia due to organisers failing to meet certain deadlines.
“We accept the decision. We are not disappointed because we know and understand the situation, and why the OCA had to take this decision. We will now try to do our best and get back hosting rights, perhaps the next Games after 2029,” Chamroeun, Secretary General of National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, said.
Cambodia has come to Bahrain with a 43-strong athlete contingent and is taking part in 14 sports. They have already met with success with Daniel Phouk winning a bronze medal in Pencak Silat.
It was the first-ever medal for Cambodia at the Asian Youth Games. In 2013 Nanjing, and 2009 Singapore, they returned home empty-handed.
So, it was no small surprise that Daniel’s victory was greeted with much acclaim back in Phnom Penh with newspapers and television stations headlining the famous deed.
“I’m happy to win this medal even though it is a bronze, I think I have already done my best and I’m proud of it,” Daniel was quoted as saying by the Cambodian media.
Secretary General Chamroeun was also over the moon. “It was a wonderful achievement, and considering that this was the first time Cambodia had reached the podium at these Games, it was a landmark achievement. The media back home gave a lot of publicity and this is good for Cambodia sport,” he said.