Cambodia Promotes Wrestling Woman

By BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA

Hok Chheang Kim, Technical Director of the Cambodia Wrestling Federation (CWF), said there are 16 wrestlers capable of representing Cambodia. Six of these are women and according to the Technical Director, the best if these is 25 year-old Chov Sotheara.
They are now under training at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh by Chheang Kim.

“Sotheara is the only Cambodian female wrestler to win medals in the SEA Games Competitions. She is a highly qualified wrestler and an honor for the Cambodian people,” he told the Cambodia Weekly during an interview on January 19.

“I am happy with Sotheara because she is the best wrestler in Cambodia. I believe that with her skill, talents and hard training, she will win more medals at future SEA Games and other international wrestling competitions.”

The Technical Director said that besides wrestling, Sotheara now works as a general sports coach for the 11th and 12th year classes at Doeum Thkov High School in Phnom Penh.

“I started Judo training in 1997 when I was 15 years old, earning a black belt in the discipline, though I decided to specialize in wrestling in 2000,” Sotheara said during an interview with the Cambodia Weekly on January 19.

Sotheara was born in 1984 and can depend on two brothers and another sister in her family. She became the Cambodian wrestling champion in 2000 when the Ministry of Education Youth and Sport provided her with financial support for training at the National Olympic Stadium. She is now Coaching Assistant as well as a wrestler with the CWF.

Sotheara said that she began training with the Cambodian Wrestling Federation in 2000 when she was 19 years old. She was trained by Hok Chheang Kim, a Cambodian wrestling coach, at the National Olympic Stadium, in Phnom Penh.

She pointed out that so far, she has attended six international wrestling competitions including the SEA Games, winning two bronze medals, the first in 2003 in Vietnam, the second in 2005 in the Philippines. Apart from this, she has fought every year in the Nationwide Wrestling Competition and has won every year.

“I am happy with my Champion’s title because I had the honor to attend the SEA Games and win two medals for my country. To promote wrestling for the younger generation, I will train hard, do my best in competition and hopefully win more medals at international level,” she said.

Try Sothavy, 26, who is also a wrestling champion, said that she understood the extent of Sotheara’s talents and experience.

“I have known Sotheara since 2001 when I started training with her in Phnom Penh. She is the best Cambodian wrestler in 48-kilogram class,” said Sothavy.

She continued, “I am happy to train with her. I pick up a wealth of information when I work with her and I wish her all the best in future competitions.” //






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