SEA Games 2023 Cambodia’s epic boat team wins gold

I am writing this while watching the closing ceremony of the 2023 SEAGames. The rain is pouring so heavily in the capital city of Phnom Penh. But this does not stop the amazing and strong Cambodians. They still dance, they still smile and they still wave while the rain pours down their faces.

Khmers will keep going and keep surviving. No matter what you through at them.

Kampot

While walking my dogs along the beautiful river in Kampot. I have been able to watch the preparation for the 2023 SEA Games slowly start to develop.  

As the days went by a beautiful beach was created. Dredgers would bring up the sand from the middle of the river and fill the river banks with glorious sand. This beach was soon ready to show the world what Cambodia can do.

Also, the dogs now had the pleasure of having soft sand on their feet. While I had the pleasure of watching the beautiful nature that surrounds Bokor Mountain.

The new beach

As I would run or walk the length of the beach. I would end up where the Cambodian national team was exercising and preparing for the upcoming SEAGames.

Thus, I would end up talking to many different people involved in the SEA Games. From the man that was training the traditional boat race team, to the man setting up the lanes, to the little girl pictured below whose brother was part of the Cambodian national boat team.

She is so proud standing next to her brother

Look at her big beaming smile as she stands so proud next to her brother. Makes me smile from ear to ear. Especially as she told me he is lazy.

One lovely man was from the amazing country of Myanmar. I had been to Myanmar in March 2008 and had been involved in the horrific cyclone. This cyclone killed over 300,000 people and was devasting for the country.

I had just managed to survive this horrific experience. So, I decided I need to sit on a beach for a week to recover. That was what brought me back to the amazing country of Cambodia. One week has so far ended up 15 years.

The Olympic organizers

So I and the Olympic organizers would stand and talk. While I was throwing sticks, coconuts, or whatever I found that had washed up on the beach. The dogs would swim to retrieve them while keeping the Cambodian national team amused.

The team even got to know one of the dogs’ names. Mainly because he would eat all the rubbish all over the floor. So I would hear them calling Eric, Eric come here, Eric

This lovely man would express how hard he was finding it to get the teams motivated and fit enough to compete.

We would have fun and laugh at all the different reactions he has received when trying to get them to exercise.

I would also explain the experiences I have had over the years when dealing with Khmers. The fact, Khmers live for the day. Which is a beautiful way to live. But not always easy when you are preparing them for the future.

Khmers can also be big kids at heart. Another lesson the West could learn. This is one of the main reasons why I love this country so much. As I also find it hard to grow up.

How we could inspire them?

We would discuss different ways in which he could inspire the Cambodian national boat teams. He wanted them to see that it’s not all about winning. That it is not about giving up but it’s about taking part and trying. If you do not try you will never succeed. So do not give up before you have tried.

I believe if you think you will succeed, you will succeed.  That if you send positive thoughts out to the universe. Then the universe will be kind and will be ready to give you what you have asked for.

As I would walk off leaving him to face yet another day. I would let him know how much we were all going to stand on this beautiful beach. Shout so loud that the universe would hear us and we would support them all.

Expats

Sadly, also over the next few weeks, I heard many different stories from the local expats. Sadly, most of them were negative comments. Comments like “ I would be surprised if Cambodia won any medals. They definitely will not get gold in the traditional boat races.”

I would do my usual smile and say “You never know they are strong people and can achieve a lot more than people give them credit for.”

The races start

So, on the 13^th of May, I headed to the river to watch the first boat races. I stood there in the boiling hot sun with my camera and tripod. Capturing as many of these special moments as I could.

On the first day, the women’s team won. Three amazingly strong Cambodian women showed the world they can do it. I was so proud of them as they did not think they were fit enough to win a boat race. Hopefully, our positive thinking helped them believe in themselves.

On Tuesday the 16^th of May as we stood on the beach watching the boat races I was amazed. This team of young and now very fit boys showed me what they can achieve when they set their minds to it.

They may have started in the back. But soon you saw them start to take that leap of faith. As they started to pull away the screams from us got louder and louder.

We stood on the sidelines cheering and shouting them on. Even if we were one of the only groups to do that. We would not give up as we believed they could hear us supporting them. This inspired them to keep going and not give up. This also inspired many other Khmers.

It was a wonderful day

But as the hours went on many Khmers started to join in with cheering and shouting too. It became such an amazing group of people only wanting the best for Cambodia and the teams.

I believe that our cheers and our support helped the team realize that they had so many different people wanting them to win, and supporting them. This gave them even more power to win and they did.

They got gold

I am so proud that the traditional boat race team achieved their dream. They got the gold medal. Kampouchea chhneah chhneah / Cambodia win win.

Kampouchea chhneah chhneah / Cambodia win win

This fills me with goosebumps when I see this picture. This man from Myanmar inspired a team of amazing Khmer people to go against the odds. To believe in themselves and show the world they have the strength to win gold and they can achieve anything they desire.

He was also so proud. He showed the Cambodians all you need to do is exercise, eat healthy, and never give up. This was a team that he was scared would not become number one. But his belief in his job and strength showed he could make them get gold.