High Hope on Women's Wheelchair Basketball at Asian Para Games
Cambodian para-athletes leave for 4th Asian Para Games in Hangzhou. Photo: NOCC
- By Kim Makara
- October 18, 2023 6:50 PM
PHNOM PENH – Officials have high expectations for the women’s wheelchair basketball team at the 4th Asian Para Games in China, hoping to repeat the successes of the regional games in May.
The National Paralympic Committee of Cambodia (NPCC) sent 24 athletes in six sports to the competition in Hangzhou, including eight athletes in men’s sitting volleyball, 12 for women’s wheelchair basketball and one each for swimming, athletics, table tennis and boccia.
NPCC secretary-general Yi Veasna said he’s confident of the ability of Cambodian athletes to win medals. In particular, he expected the women’s wheelchair basketball to win a medal because it is a sport with high potential, has won many medals from international events and is internationally recognized for the ability of Cambodian athletes.
“We participate in the competition, we expect to win in all sports, because the Cambodian athletes participating in the game have won medals in various competition,” he said.
“The Asian Games level is higher than the ASEAN Games. We have higher expectations for women's basketball because we have won medals in events and compared to ASEAN, we are good enough.”
Women’s wheelchair basketball team won one gold and one silver in the 12th ASEAN Para Games in May. The team also claimed one gold and one silver at the 11th Games in Indonesia.
The fourth ASIAN Para Games will run from Oct. 22 to 28. China has included 22 sports with 566 competitions and 43 countries are taking part.
Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this article was translated by Nhor Sokhoeurn for Cambodianess.
