Kun Khmer wins two more gold medals.

Following a successful first day of finals (May 10th) with 3 gold medals and 4 silver medals, Vietnamese martial artists entered 5 final matches on the afternoon of May 11th. Three of these featured female competitors: Trieu Thi Phuong Thuy (48kg), Bui Yeu Ly (57kg), and Nguyen Thi Chieu (54kg), while the two featured male competitors: Nguyen Hong Quan (71kg) and Nguyen Thanh Tung (75kg).

Kun Khmer brought home 5 gold medals for the Vietnamese sports delegation at the 32nd SEA Games. Photo: T. Giáp

Leading the way in the women's 48kg weight class, Vietnamese martial artist Trieu Thi Phuong Thuy brilliantly won both of the first two rounds against Cambodian fighter Soeng Moeuy, thereby winning the gold medal. This is also the fourth gold medal for Vietnamese Khmer Kun at this year's SEA Games. The top hope for the Vietnamese Khmer Kun team today is veteran Muay Thai world champion Bui Yen Ly. In the 57kg weight class final, Bui Yen Ly overwhelmingly defeated home fighter Sreyphin Toun in three rounds with a score of 30-26 to win the fifth gold medal for the Khmer Kun team.

In the remaining three finals, Vietnamese martial artists were unable to win any more gold medals. Nguyen Thi Chieu lost to the host country's fighter in the women's 54kg final, winning a silver medal. Similarly, Nguyen Thanh Tung only won a silver medal in the men's 75kg final after losing 1-2 to the host country's fighter from Cambodia. Nguyen Hong Quan withdrew midway through the men's 71kg final against the host country's fighter due to injury.

Thus, at the conclusion of the Khmer Kun competition at the 32nd SEA Games, the Vietnamese team won 5 gold medals, 7 silver medals, and 5 bronze medals. Coach Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat – a legend of Muay Thai – stated that Khmer Kun shares many similarities with Muay Thai, and most of the Vietnamese fighters competing in Khmer Kun at the 32nd SEA Games had previously trained and competed in Muay Thai. Because the two martial arts have many similarities, the experienced Vietnamese fighters did not have difficulty adapting. With 5 gold medals, 7 silver medals, and 5 bronze medals, the Vietnamese Khmer Kun team concluded a successful Games.

THAI AN

Source: http://www.baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/artmid/422/articleid/64268/sea-games-32-ngay-105-kun-khmer-gianh-them-2-hcv