Feature: Chinese-trained Cambodian badminton players proud to win historic gold medal in SEA Games

PHNOM PENH, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese-trained Cambodian badminton players are proud to have earned a historic gold medal in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games for their country after defeating their Myanmar rivals in the final of the mixed team badminton event last week.

The 10-member mixed team badminton players had been trained in Nanning, in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, for eight months before competing in the 32nd SEA Games, which Cambodia hosted from May 5 to 17.

Yang Samnang, one of the mixed team badminton members, said he was elated that his team won the first-ever gold medal in badminton, adding that training in China had helped them achieve this prestigious medal.

"I'm really happy that our Cambodian badminton mixed team has won a gold medal for the first time in the history of the SEA Games," he told Xinhua in an interview at the Morodok Techo Badminton Hall in Phnom Penh on Monday.

"It is not only a source of pride for myself but also for the 16 million population across the country," the 20-year-old athlete said.

"Prior to the games, the Cambodian government had sent us to train in China for eight months, where we learned new experiences, techniques, and good disciplines, and also increased our strength," Samnang said.

Phon Chenda, another mixed team badminton member, said training in China had significantly increased her capacity and techniques because Chinese coaches were highly professional and trained her and other athletes with high responsibilities.

"During our eight-month training in China, our team's capacity developed. We exchanged techniques as our coaches took us to compete with Chinese athletes at various schools and clubs," she told Xinhua.

"For me and my team, we are very proud of winning this gold medal because it is the first gold medal in the badminton event," the 23-year-old player said. "This is a source of pride for both my team and my nation."

Vat Vanthoun, another mixed team badminton member, expressed his sincere gratitude to China for accepting Cambodian athletes to train there, saying that China's assistance had greatly contributed to boosting the development of Cambodia's sports sector.

"This grant aid for sports has significantly increased our capacity," he said. "I would also like to thank Chinese coaches and all teammates for cooperating well with each other to find strategies to defeat our rivals."

The badminton athletes are among a large team of 160 Cambodian athletes trained in China for the 32nd SEA Games.

On Monday, Chinese-trained Cambodian wrestlers also secured one gold, two silver, and three bronze medals for their country.

Jiang Lin, head coach of the China-Aid Cambodia Sports Technical Assistance Project, said Chinese coaches had provided training to Cambodian athletes in swimming, basketball, wushu, weightlifting, volleyball, women's football, badminton, wrestling, judo, table tennis, athletics, and gymnastics.

"We helped train those Cambodian athletes in 12 kinds of sports, and they have developed very well, as their sports performances have made great progress," he told Xinhua. "Like in the games this time, we can see that Cambodian athletes have achieved better results compared to the previous games."

Vath Chamroeun, secretary general of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, said the training in China was crucial to help develop Cambodia's sports sector.

"This is another fruit of the ironclad friendship and close cooperation between Cambodia and China," he said.

The ongoing 32nd SEA Games has brought together a total of 10,890 athletes, coaches, arbitrators, and officials from 11 Southeast Asian countries and regions, with athletes competing in 579 events across 36 sports.