Kun Khmer and Love Persuade African Athlete to Settle
Originally from Nigeria, the 37-year-old athlete has been living in Cambodia for the past 16 years, where he’s been teaching English in a private school. Photo: Heak Chhork
- By Heak Chhork
- and Te Chhaysinh
- April 30, 2023 11:20 AM
PHNOM PENH – Since he first stepped foot in Phnom Penh in 2007, Emanuel Omyedikachi has come to a conclusion: Cambodia has become his adopted home and he would never settle back in his native country, thanks to his love for both the Cambodian people and the local martial art, known as Kun Khmer.
Originally from Nigeria, the 37-year-old athlete has been living in Cambodia for the past 16 years, where he’s been teaching English in a private school. He is married to a Cambodian woman and has two children.
“When I arrived in Cambodia, Cambodians were very welcoming, cooperative, and had a big heart,” said Emanuel Omyedikachi.
While he already practiced wrestling and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in the Southern State of Imo, where he is from, he came to discover Kun Khmer when he saw Chan Rothana, one of Cambodia’s most famous fighters, giving a Kun Khmer performance.
Blown away by the variety of elbow, kick, and knee fighting techniques that the martial art uses, Emanuel asked Rothana to train him in 2008. Only eight months later, the newcomer started his first fights in competition.
“Here, all athletes treat you like family, regardless of where you come from; this is the best thing that I have ever seen in my life,” he added.
With many years of practice, he now represents Cambodia during Kun Khmer competitions abroad and strives to promote it as much as he can.
“I’m doing everything possible to promote Kun Khmer on a global scale,” he said.
Emanuel has been involved in fifty-seven matches inside and outside Cambodia, of which he won fifty matches and only lost seven.
With his sports career being well underway, he now has two dreams. He’s opening a gym in Phnom Penh that offers free training for those who want to train in Kun Khmer to pass on his fighting skills to the next generation.
He also wishes he could soon apply for Cambodian citizenship and hold a Cambodian passport, to see his love for the country officially recognized.
