The 6th World Khmer Kun Championship - 2026 officially commenced in Sihanoukville Province (Cambodia) on February 10th, bringing together 20 delegations from many countries and territories. The Vietnamese Khmer Kun team is participating with 35 martial artists, primarily athletes from provinces with developed martial arts movements such as Can Tho, An Giang, Tay Ninh, Gia Lai, Thai Nguyen, and Nghe An…
After the opening qualifying rounds, Vietnamese fighters advanced to five finals, including Phung Thi Hong Tham, Nguyen Thi Mai, Ta Kim Yen, Nguyen Ngoc Quyen, and Phung Phu Thuan.
n the men's amateur 73kg final, Nguyen Ngoc Quyen opened the fight but was unable to overcome Kenmegne (Cameroon), settling for a silver medal after two rounds. However, this defeat was quickly compensated for by a convincing performance from his teammates.
In the remaining finals, Phung Thi Hong Tham (amateur 63kg), Nguyen Thi Mai (amateur 57kg), Ta Kim Yen (amateur 51kg), and Phung Phu Thuan (professional 73kg) successively won, bringing home 4 gold medals for the Vietnamese team. These victories not only demonstrated thorough professional preparation but also showed the ability to quickly adapt to the unique rules of Kun Khmer.
With 4 gold medals and 1 silver medal, the Vietnamese Khmer Kun team is temporarily leading the medal standings after two days of competition. However, this position is expected to change significantly as nearly 20 finals will be held in the following days across the senior, junior, and talent age groups.
Kun Khmer, Cambodia’s traditional martial art, shares similarities with Muay Thai and kickboxing but follows its own distinct rule system. The sport is characterized by close-range combat and a heavy emphasis on elbow and knee strikes, requiring athletes to adapt quickly in terms of tactics, endurance, and physical resilience.
Previously, at the SEA Games 32, Vietnam’s Kun Khmer team made a strong impression with five gold, seven silver, and five bronze medals, contributing significantly to the overall success of the Vietnamese sports delegation. The current results once again highlight the team’s thorough preparation and determination to maintain its competitive position on the international stage.
HY