Cambodia at the
2012 Summer Olympics
Flag of Cambodia
IOC codeCAM
NOCNational Olympic Committee of Cambodia
Websitewww.noccambodia.org (in Khmer and English)
in London
Competitors6 in 4 sports
Flag bearer Sorn Davin[1]
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)

Cambodia, which is represented by the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London from 27 July to 12 August 2012. Six Cambodian athletes competed in the disciplines of track and field athletics, swimming, taekwondo, and judo.[2]

Background

Since their first appearance in equestrian at the 1956 Summer Olympics, Cambodia has sent 37 participants to seven editions of the Summer Olympic Games, making 2012 their fifth consecutive Games and eighth overall. Athletes from Cambodia have competed in seven distinct sports since 1956, although since 2000 their delegation has consisted of only track and field athletes and swimmers. The nation has never participated in the Winter Olympics nor has it ever won a medal.[3]

Four Cambodian athletes received special scholarships from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to help them qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics: Chov Sotheara, who won wrestling gold at the 2009 Southeast Asian Games, Sorn Davin, a silver medalist in taekwondo at the 2011 Southeast Asian Games, Phal Sophat, who captured a silver medal in boxing at the 2009 Southeast Asian Games, and athlete Sar Choub Veasna.[4] Both Davin[5] and Sotheara[6] failed to qualify through normal means and thus required a wild card bid from the IOC. Cambodia received a wild card for taekwondo in April 2012,[7] which was given to Davin.[8] The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) also nominated Ratanakmony Khom, a silver medalist in judo at the 2011 Southeast Asian Games, and athlete Kheang Samon for wild card spots.[9] Ratnakmony received his invitation to attend the Games in June 2012.[8]

Athletics

Main article: Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Neko Hiroshi running a marathon

In March 2012 the NOCC announced that Japanese comedian Neko Hiroshi had been nominated to represent Cambodia in the marathon at the 2012 Olympics, having been chosen for a "special exemption" after no Cambodian athletes met the qualifying standard.[10] Hiroshi, a naturalized Cambodian citizen since 2011, had participated in half-marathons held in Cambodia for over a year and reached the podium at least twice, earning him a national fan base.[11] He received criticism from, among others, Japanese double Olympic marathon medalist Yuko Arimori, whose charity helps develop and train Cambodian athletes in addition to funding their journeys to international competitions. Opponents of Hiroshi's selection for the Olympic Games claim that there are Cambodian-born athletes more deserving of the special exemption,[10] such as Hem Bunting who has won two long-distance medals at the Southeast Asian Games since 2007.[12] The International Association of Athletics Federations rejected his nomination, however, on the grounds that Hiroshi was ineligible to compete internationally until October 2012, as individuals with new nationalities must wait one year from the date of their citizenship before they can represent the nation on the world stage. They also refused to wave this requirement for Hiroshi, deciding that it was not a circumstance that warranted such an action.[13]

Chan Seyha, who competed in the 200 metre event at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, ran in the same distance at the 2012 Olympics and Samorn Kieng participated in the men's 800m event.[9]

Key
Men
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Samorn Kieng 800 m 1:55.26 8 Did not advance
Women
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Chan Seyha 200 m 26.62 9 Did not advance

Judo

Main article: Judo at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Ratanakmony Khom, a silver medalist at the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in the men's 50–55 kg judo competition, represented Cambodia in the men's 60 kg event at the 2012 Summer Olympics.[8]

Athlete Event Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Repechage Final / BM
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Rank
Ratanakmony Khom Men's −60 kg Bye  Castillo (MEX)
L 0000–0100 		Did not advance

Swimming

Main article: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Hemthon Vitiny, who competed in the women's 50 metre freestyle event at the 2008 Summer Olympics participated in the same event at the 2012 Games.[9] Cambodia had one more guaranteed spot for a swimmer in their delegation,[14] which was taken by Ponloeu Hemthon, who competed in the men's 50 metre freestyle.[15]

Men
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Hemthon Ponloeu 50 m freestyle 23.17 48 Did not advance
Women
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Hemthon Vitiny 50 m freestyle 25.03 57 Did not advance

Taekwondo

Main article: Taekwondo at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Cambodia was given a wild card entrant for taekwondo, allowing Sorn Davin, a silver medalist in taekwondo at the 2011 Southeast Asian Games, to participate.[7][8]

Athlete Event Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Repechage Bronze Medal Final
Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Opposition
Result 		Rank
Sorn Davin Women's +67 kg  Espinoza (MEX)
L 2–3 		Did not advance

See also

References

  1. ^ Staff (27 July 2012). "London 2012 Opening Ceremony – Flag Bearers" (PDF). Olympics. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  2. ^ Gjerde, Arild; Jeroen Heijmans; Bill Mallon; Hilary Evans (September 2013). "Cambodia at the 2012 London Summer Games". Olympics. Sports Reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  3. ^ Gjerde, Arild; Jeroen Heijmans; Bill Mallon; Hilary Evans (27 March 2012). "Cambodia". Olympics. Sports Reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  4. ^ "IOC grants Scholarlship to four Cambodian athletes for 2012 Games". National Olympic Committee of Cambodia. 2011. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  5. ^ "Asian Qualification Tournament for London 2012" (PDF). World Taekwondo Federation. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  6. ^ Ponlok, Yuen (4 April 2012). "Chov Sotheara grapples with disappointment". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Cambodia, Mali, Panama, Yemen Earn 1 Wild Card Each for London Olympic Taekwondo Competition". World Taekwondo Federation. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  8. ^ a b c d Riley, Dan (13 June 2012). "Judoka thrown into Olympic squad". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
  9. ^ a b c Viravudh (March 2012). "Cambodia Is Waiting To Hearing from the International Sport Federation to Submit the Olympic in London". National Olympic Committee of Cambodia. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  10. ^ a b 猫ひろしは五輪を辞退せよ！ ネットで呼びかけ広がる (in Japanese). J-Cast. 2 April 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  11. ^ "Comedian Neko to represent Cambodia at Olympic marathon". Kyodo News. 25 March 2012. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  12. ^ "Against the Odds: Hem Bunting". BBC News. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  13. ^ Westlake, Adam (9 May 2012). "Neko Hiroshi rejected as Cambodian entrant to Olympics". The Japan Daily Press. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  14. ^ Viravudh (March 2012). "Naga World Olympic Dream". National Olympic Committee of Cambodia. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  15. ^ "Universality Places" (PDF). FINA. 6 July 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
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