Vietnam surpasses Cambodia to lead the world in Khmer Kun martial arts.

Phan Thi Hong Lien celebrates after winning the 18th gold medal for Vietnamese Khmer Kun - Photo: NAM TRUNG

On the evening of February 14th, the 6th World Kun Khmer Championship 2025 concluded in the coastal city of Sihanoukville (Cambodia). Due to border conflicts between Cambodia and Thailand at the end of last year, the tournament, which was originally scheduled from December 17th to 23rd, had to be postponed to the present time.

Despite having to compete on the "sacred ground" of host country Cambodia - considered the birthplace of this sport - Vietnam, in its first participation, earned the admiration of the international community.

On the final day of competition, athlete Phan Thi Hong Lien won another gold medal, helping Vietnam overtake Cambodia to lead the overall medal standings with 18 gold medals, exactly one more than the host country.

Evaluating the overall success of the team, Mr. Nguyen Trong Nguyen - Deputy Director of the National Sports Training Center, shared: "As the head of the delegation, I was truly moved to witness the spirit of unity and unwavering determination of everyone. Thank you to the coaches for their dedication, and thank you to the athletes for their courageous performance, exceeding 100% of their capabilities."

Vietnam takes first place overall at the 6th World Khmer Kun Tournament 2025 - Photo: NAM TRUNG

Besides winning first place overall at the World Kun Khmer Championship, the Vietnamese team also made a mark in the management and operation of the tournament.

Accordingly, at the Executive Committee Meeting of the International Khmer Kun Federation (KIF) for the 2026-2030 term, Mr. Ho Thanh Liem, representing Vietnam, was elected to the Standing Committee and appointed as Vice President of KIF.

Having a voice on the KIF Executive Committee is not only a personal honor but also a strategic step forward, helping Vietnamese combat martial arts enhance its position and influence on the world map.

It is known that in 2026, the Southeast Asian Khmer Kun Federation and the Asian Khmer Kun Federation are also working towards their establishment.

Previously, at the end of January 2026, the Vietnam Department of Sports and Physical Education recognized Khmer Kun as one of the high-performance sports (Group III) starting from 2026.

According to the plan, the National Khmer Kun Club Championship is scheduled to take place in Tay Ninh next June. This will be followed by the National Khmer Kun Youth Championship in Gia Lai in August and the National Khmer Kun Championship in Can Tho in September.

The World Khmer Kun Federation has also selected Can Tho as the host city for the 7th World Khmer Kun Championship in 2026, scheduled for the end of November.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/viet-nam-qua-mat-campuchia-de-dan-dau-the-gioi-mon-vo-kun-khmer-20260214200335677.htm#content-1