Sport in Cambodia
It can be considered a complete martial art, using strikes, throws, drags, trapping, locking, and some elements of ground fighting.
A kroma (scarf) is folded around their waist and blue and red silk cords called sangvar day, are tied around the combatants head and biceps.
After completing their initial training, fighters wear a black kroma (scarf) for at least another ten years.
And to become a true master, it will definitely take some time as just in the unarmed portion of the art; there are between 8,000 and 10,000 different techniques; only 1,000 of which you have to learn to attain the black kroma.
The art contains 341 different styles, some of which are the duck, crab, horse, bird, dragon, eagle, crane, wind, fire, water, earth (or stone), king monkey, lion, elephant, apsara (traditional Hindu sacred nymph), and crocodile.
Because of its visually similar style, bokator (boxkator) is commonly wrongly described as a variant of modern kickboxing.
While pradal serey is a more simplified freestyle fighting system which uses a few of the basic (white kroma) punching, elbow, kicking, and kneeing techniques.
A match consists of five sets of three-minute rounds and takes place in a 6.1 meter square boxing ring.
A knockout occurs when a boxer is knocked down to the ground and can not continue fighting after a 10-second count by the referee.
Victory is also obtained from the end of the match, when judges decide by a point system which fighter was more effective.
The Khmer Empire was founded in 802 A.D. at a time when many modern Southeast Asian countries didn't exist yet.
An early version of pradal serey was effectively used by the Khmer Empire to dominate the Southeast Asian mainland.
Originally matches were fought in dirt pits with limited rules while hands were wrapped in rope.
Pradal serey was banned under the Khmer Rouge regime, and many boxers were executed, nearly causing the art to be wiped out.
Numerous gyms have opened and large masses of students, local and foreign, have come to train in Cambodia.
[2] Morodok Techo National Sports Complex, a new modern multipurpose and international standard sports facility, is being constructed in Chroy Jong Va District, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and set to host the 2023 Southeast Asian Games.
The top basketball players and teams from Cambodia compete for the CBL title every year at the Beeline Arena.
It is the first multi-purpose sports arena in Cambodia with international standard, including: - Multi-sports surface for futsal, basketball, volleyball and more - 2,000 person capacity - VIP lounge and restaurant - Sports, music, cultural and big screen events.
