Cambodia to Host Three Tournaments of Cycling Race

By Sok Lak

The National Olympic Committee plans to host three cycling tournament to promote the development of the sport of cycling in the country and prepare to participate in regional and international competitions of cycling.

“Cambodia will host three tournaments of cycling at the end of this year and earlier next year,” Mr. Vath Chamroeun, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) said at the opening ceremony of a cycling coach training course on August 10^th at the National Olympic Committee.

Vath said: the first tournament will held in September with the road direction from Takeo province to Takmao town in Kandal province. The second tournament is the National Cycling Championship tournament which will be held in October and the third tournament is an international cycling tournament in the early February next year, which start from Siem Reap, go to Battambang to Kampong Chheang, and then to Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham province where they will turn back to Phnom Penh with a total distance of 750km. “The capacity level of Cambodia cycling athlete is not high, so this year they cannot participate in regional tournament, but Olympic committee is preparing to send them to participate in 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar,” he stressed.

Mr. Van Than, General Secretary of Cambodia Cycling Federation and Cambodian cycling coach, said that the level of Cambodia cycling athlete is progressing subsequently, but it is limited while other countries in the region are on the advance. So, Cambodian cycling will not join this year for the regional contest. “It is time for us to seek and get medals, not only to get experience,” he stressed. “I will try my best to train as outstanding cycling athlete to participate in the next SEA Games.” He hopes that a Cambodian cycling athlete will be able to join many international tournaments.”

As the plan of International Olympic Committee (IOC) on promoting Olympic sport, especially to promote and develop cycling sport in Cambodia, a 40 year-experience, Houshang Amiri, was sent to Cambodia to train Cambodian cycling coaches. The course will take 10 days which will be held from 9-18 August training both theory and practice. 25 coaches from Cambodia Cycling Federation, clubs and ministry officials attend this training course.

Coach Houshang Amiri from Canada and also Head Coach and CEO of Pacific Cycling and expert coach for Union Cycliste International (UCI), said: “it is first time for me to be in Cambodia,” but he hope that he can teach all his technique and knowledge to Cambodian coaches to develop Cambodia cycling committee. “I would like to see big cycling committee around the world.” Through teaching activities, he hopes that he can establish friendship with Cambodia cycling coaches and athletes to strengthen the development of cycling and exchange knowledge on this area.

Source: The Southeast Asia Weekly, August 14-20, 2011/Vol.5, Issue 33, Page 3