National Gymnastics Championship Tournament 2011

By Sok Lak

The Department of Physical Education and Youth in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoSEY) in collaboration with the Cambodia Gymnastic Federation (CGF) to launch National Gymnastics Championship Tournament 2011 for five days from the 18 to 22 May at the National Stadium Complex.

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About 300 gymnasts from Phnom Penh, Takeo, Kampong Chhang, and Kratic have attended the Nationwide Gymnastics Championship Tournament 2011 to compete for gymnastics champions 2011 in Cambodia. This year, all gymnasts come from 12 clubs within five cities-provinces across Cambodia.

The purpose of the competition is to select the champions of Cambodia for 2011. It is also to select the best performers of gymnastics to attend the future national and international competitions. The tournament is to promote people around the country to play gymnastics to ensure their health care as well as develop the gymnastics in Cambodia.

Nay Sophanna, Secretary General of the Cambodia Gymnastics Federation (CGF), said that national gymnastics championship tournament launch every year.

He added that the tournament this year is more important than every year, because Cambodia gymnast will join SEA Games in Indonesia at the end of this year that’s why federation need to need to select best players for preparation this important event.

The gymnastic is developing from year to year especially performance and ability of national selected gymnast up-18, who has a good performance and techniques. For gymnast under-18 is on progress of developing as well, he mentioned. “Most of gymnasts’ background is come from poor family and rural area, even though it is difficult for them, but they still try to train till to be best gymnast”

According to data, there are 303 gymnasts attend this tournament in which 50 gymnasts from Phnom Penh, 20 gymnasts from Kratic province, 82 gymnasts from Takeo province, and 151 gymnasts from Kampong Chhang province.  

Related to the gymnastics award, competition has three-classification awards and prizes in which the first winner will receive the gold medal, along with 1500 thousand riel, the second winner receives silver medal with 1000 thousand riel and third winner receives bronze with 800 thousand riel.

Since the Cambodia Gymnastics Federation established in 1980 and organization of the nationwide gymnastic tournament, Cambodian gymnastics have been promoted and developed in Cambodia. The federation has also been sending Cambodian gymnastic competition every year. As the result, they have not received any medals, just received many “Letter of Appreciations” from the gymnastic tournament organization. Until 2008, all participation into international competition all receive medal in which able to receive silver and bronze medals as well.

Source: The Southeast Asia Weekly, May 22-28, 2011, Vol. 5, Issue 20, Page 12