• Society

Rivals Shortage Deals Blow to SEA Games Fighter

• By Kim Makara
• February 1, 2023 12:05 PM

PHNOM PENH – Kun Khmer fighter Rumchong, known as the Tiger of Battambang, has been left out of the national team for the SEA Games after heavyweight events were dropped.

Heng Sokhorn, president of the Cambodian Kickboxing Federation, spoke on Jan. 30 about the sport and the reason Keo Rumchong missed out.

Sokhorn said heavyweight matches for 81kg and 75kg divisions had been removed because the other countries did not have competitors.

Only Singapore had the candidates for the matches. However, the sports constitution said there had to be at least four countries for each competition.

Sokhorn also felt sorry for Keo Rumchong, as Sokhorn had asked him to join the team for the Games.

“I asked him directly to fight in the 81kg category. He agreed,” Sokhorn said.

He added that Rumchong had to fight at the TV5 Cambodia first, so that Sokhorn could assess whether his fight technique was acceptable. Rumchong proved that it was.

However, at the Asian Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, all the presidents of the country kickboxing federations decided to drop the 81kg, 75kg, 48kg and 45kg events.

Sokhorn also tried to prolong the negotiation, but the other countries still could not get the numbers.

After talking with Rumchong, Sokhorn was assured that Rumchong could drop to 71kg or 69kg before the Games.

The candidates for the team have been selected already, Sokhorn explained.

“Rumchong claimed that he could lose weight to fight for the 69kg or 71kg events. Even though he could, but how about his health? Should we have left the country to lose face, or should we fight for the country’s merit?” Sokhorn said.

“If he loses weight, he will also have to keep it stable and take the place of another candidate who has been training for three years for the matches.”

Sokhorn said the federation selected boxers able to train on both techniques and disciplines in accordance with the committee’s choices.

Trained candidates cannot be taken out nor replaced because they have become skilled and strong, Sokhorn claimed.

Although Rumchong cannot join the matches, Sokhorn said the boxer can still earn merit for the country by being a coach or technical officer.

“If you (Rumchong) want to be a trainer for the national team, I’ll support you. The federation will not abandon the resource. If you become the trainer/coach, you will still contribute with the team for the SEA Games, too,” Sokhorn said.

Written for ThmeyThmey News, this article was translated by Meng Seavmey for Cambodianess News.