Cambodia’s Second National Games kicks off tonight with organisers promising spectators in Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium are set to witness a festival of sport never before seen in the kingdom.
The Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (MoEYS) reports that approximately 5,000 performers are set to take part in the opening ceremony which will feature performances ranging from the traditional Apsara and Bokator, to acrobatics, taekwon-do, and a grand military parade.
King Norodom Sihamoni is scheduled to light the ceremonial Games’ torch at the Royal Palace before a procession of the kingdom’s finest athletes carry the flame in relay to the stadium. Once there, Prime Minister Hun Sen will light the cauldron to herald the opening of the 2018 edition of Cambodia’s premier sporting competition.
Earlier this month, the Prime Minister formally requested King Sihamoni to bless the 2018 National Games with his participation in the ceremony.
In his letter to the Royal Palace, the Cambodian Premier said he considered the national sporting event an important milestone for sport in the kingdom. “The benefits of holding these National Games will help Cambodia build capacity and experience to host the 2023 SEA Games in Phnom Penh,” reads the letter.