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By
: Ly Vanna, Picture by : Touch Sinath.
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Khmer Wrestling is a unique
form of the sport.
The aim is to force the opponent’s back to
touch the ground.
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This was
the first time that an official Khmer traditional
wrestling championship had been held under the support
of MoEYS. This first in wrestling history was held
by the Cambodia Amateur Wrestling Federation at
Club BAKSEI CHAMKRONG, Phnom Penh, on 15 -16 June
2002, and attended by His Excellency Bou Chum Serey,
Under Secretary of State, MoEYS.
There were 53 wrestlers -- 8 of whom were women.
The event was a mixture of both Khmer traditional
forms and modern wrestle as well. The contestants
came from clubs across the country. The Club BAKSEI
CHAM KRONG (Phnom Penh), the Club OLYMPIC I (Phnom
Penh), the Club OLYMPIC II (Phnom Penh), the THMOR
KEO Association (Pursat), the ROUTHISEN Association
(Kampong Chhnang) and the CHAMBABB Association (Prey
Veng) attended the event and submitted wrestlers.
There were two types of wrestling championships:
traditional and modern, in this first ever held
National Wrestling Championship. The Khmer traditional
wrestlers aim to throw their competitor on their
back - if they can wrestle their competitors and
make the competitors' back touch the ground for
just a short period, they will be the winners. But
the modern wrestlers consider the entire fight and
it is on their techniques that they gain scores.
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| Wrestling had been
sculpted on the walls of temples, showing that Khmer ancestors
had held wrestling championships a long time ago. Since
then Khmer people always wrestle during Khmer New Year,
Pchum Ben and some other happy occasions. It is a unique
part of the culture of the kingdom and a great spectator
sport. "We must keep our heritage of wrestling alive"
said H.E. BOU Chhum Serey. |
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