Cambodian women took first place at the sixth Asia Cup Petanque Championship, held Saturday in Malaysia, coaches said on Tuesday.
Ke Leng, Ouk Srey Mom and Ouk Leakhena made up the winning team in the nine-country competition, held in the parking lot of the Sultan Mohamad Stadium in Kota Baharu, Malaysia, one of their coaches, Em Heam, said. The team won a gold cup and each member received a gold medal.
Thailand came in second and Vietnam was third, Em Heam said. Cambodia’s second women’s team—Pean Makara, Doch Sophuon and Pov Chok Roth—came in fifth.
Cambodia’s men’s teams both came in fourth—one in the two-on-two and one in the three-on-three category, another national petanque coach, Phiem Kimsan, said. Or Chan Daren and Sok Chan Mean played duo; Ros Bunly, Ry Sokun and Ouch Sokly played trio, and Dy Sok Panha sat out.
Vietnam won the men’s three-on-three, with Thai teams second and third, Phiem Kimsan said.
Em Heam said the Cambodians have been training since 1997 and have developed good strategies from national and international competition. “Petanque players don’t use strength to play—we play by controlling our eyes and breathing.”
In a regional competition in Singapore earlier this month the men took silver, Em Heam said.
