Cambodia set for SEA games Assault as Taekwondo and Badminton take to the courts

Taekwondo star Sorn Davin kicks at a pad held by coach Choi Yong Sok during a training session - Photo by: Sreng Meng Srun

Following the Grand Opening Ceremony of the 26th Sea games which officially kicked of yesterday both in Palembang and Jarkata, Cambodia is now set to put behind the dismal show of the Cambodian football team, and launch an assault on other sports starting with Taekwondo today at the Korea Friendship Taekwondo Center in Jakarta.

Cambodia's Sev Mey Sorn will take on Maznal Samad from malaysia in the under 62kg Female Category in Taekwondo in court 1 at 1pm today At about the same time, Compatriot Tubbs Daren will trade kicks with Vietnam's Thank Tam Duong in the Men's under 74kg category. Should Sev mey Sorn win, she would progress to meet either opponents from Thailand or Vietnam in the medal classification bout while A victory or Daren, will see the USA based athlete take on Either Philippines or Indonesia in the medal classification bout

Daren is quite hopeful of getting past his opponent from Vietnam as he looks forward to a comfortable victory " I am so excited to be here to fight for Cambodia, I look forward to getting into the next round" he stated. The US based athelte who is coached by his father Gregory Tubbs and has both his mum Nicole Daren and Sister Cassie here in Jakarta to cheer him to victory. "Everyone in the USA is looking forward to Daren's victory, he has helped to put Cambodia in the world map and a win for him will be widely celebrated" says Nicole.

Sev Mey Sorn who like Tubbs is making his debut in the SEA games is equally excited to be here representing Cambodia and wants to beat her Malaysia opponent to get to the next round.

" I have been training hard for this moment, and i hope I can win here today" she stated.

Cambodia scooped four gold medals from the 2011 ASEAN Taekwondo Championships which Phnom Penh hosted in April of this year, giving room for optimism that the national team can pull off some top notch performances in Indonesia where the discipline offers 21 golds in total.

Cambodia’s longest serving foreign coach, South Korean Choi Yong Sok, who has been in charge of the team since 1994, is picking Sorn Davin and Chhoeung Putharim as bright medal prospects in the women’s section. Puth Buntheon’s Kyorugi gold and Chhoy Bounthom’s silver at the ASEAN meet make them men’s medal hopefuls.

“I expect good performances from every member of my team. They have been training hard. They have shown a great deal of improvement in fitness and techniques and we are here with much confidence of a good showing than any previous ones,” Korean born Coach Choi yong sok enthused.

Also on the cards for today is the Team badminton event. The representatives of the Kingdom comprising of Teav Youngvannak, Vann Channpisey, Prum Saravuth and Chindeth Puthicheath have been drawn against Thailand and at 2pm.

In palembang, Swimming and Athletics will also take place today. Hem Thon Ponleou is scheduled for the 200m breaststroke. The 21 year old swimmer will count on his previous experience at the 2009 edition of the SEA games, his participation at the 2010 Asian Games as well as world Championship in China earlier this year. He has been seeded in lane 5 in Group 1 along with Myanmar,Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia in that order. In the 50m Butterfly, Lim Odam and Maximov Youri will take to the pool with the hope to progress into the next round.

In athletics, The Duo of Pin Wanheab and Sar Vesna will take on the track for the 100m heats.

More updates to follow.

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