Asian Games squad get Hun Sen audience
CARETAKER Prime Minister Hun Sen followed his yearslong tradition of Peace Palace reception on Monday morning involving meeting, greeting and blessing the 71-member Cambodian contingent of athletes, coaches, officials and administrators heading to Indonesia next week.
The 18th Asian Games are being jointly hosted in the capital Jakarta and South Sumatra’s Palembang city from August 18 to September 2.
After a landslide victor y in the recent national elections, Hun Sen saw the result as an endorsement of his long-term vision of peace, progress and prosperity, and declared that nowhere exempl i f ied t h i s spirit than the field of sports, particularly among those who had the honor of representing the Kingdom in the secondbiggest multidiscipline sport- ing event in the world after the Olympics.
Arriving in his office at about 8:30am in the company of senior ministers, including the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia president and Tourism Minister Thong Khon, Hun Sen switched gears quickly in his address from political and election references to his favourite routine of inspiring the squad to elevate their performances and bring greater glory to the Kingdom.
He cautioned the athletes about breaking the rules and violating doping regulations, while stressing the need to play hard but fair.
“Winning and losing are part of sport. Results do matter, but it is better to lose honourably than win dishonourably,” Hun Sen said, drawing loud appreciation from the gathering.
As well as his passionate appeal to the athletes to bring home more medals and uphold the country’s prestige and pride, the world’s longestserving Prime Minister gave away $500 to each member of the delegation, an increase of $200 compared to the previous mission.
Praise for Aguero
Before the Prime Minister’s address, NOCC president Thong Khon in his welcome speech highlighted the composition of the squad, while holding out assurances that the athletes have made good preparations.
“I am hopeful of good perfor ma nces t h i s t i me. T he ent i re popu l at ion w i l l be eager to see Sor n Seav mey defend her Incheon taekwondo gold medal, t he f irst and only one for t he count r y i n more than 60 years. I am a lso optimistic about Jujitsu doing well,” he said.
T he secret a r y-genera l of the NOCC, Vath Chamroeun, who heads the mission to the Asia n Ga mes, t ha n ked t he Prime Minister for his unwaver i ng suppor t for Ca mbodian sports and his inspirat iona l i nit iat ives t hat have driven athletes to a higher level of commit ment whi le also helping them to improve their performances.
Ca mbodia n at h letes w i l l take part in 13 of the Games’40 disciplines, including jujitsu and sailing, which are maki ng t hei r mark for t he f i rst t ime at t his level.