Cambodia’s Debut as Host of SEA Games 2023: Fun Facts about The 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia
by: Chitansia Jogina
1. Filipina spotlight for the SEA Games opening
At the opening ceremony of the 32nd SEA Games opening ceremony in Cambodia, The Philippines have sent out an all-female delegation to join the parade. Due to the limit set of only 50 athletes are allowed per country to join the opening parade by the host countries, the Volleyball athlete Alyssa Valdez led the rest of the female athletes who are beautifully clad in Filipino designer Barong.
2. The resurgence of Fin swimming at the SEA Games
The sport has made a comeback at the 31st and 32nd SEA Games after being absent for more than a decade. This year marked its fifth appearance in the SEA Games 2023 since its debut at the SEA Games 2003 in Vietnam. During this year’s competition, the winner seems to be Vietnam who brought home 29 Medals, consisting of 14 Gold, 11 Silver, and 4 Bronze.
3. Thailand’s unique 2023 SEA Games kit made of recycled plastic
According to the company’s managing director, the innovative jerseys worn by the athletes represented an extension of the “Beyond The Spirit, Beyond Sportswear” concept. To reduce waste and raise awareness of global warming, components of the jersey set, such as the collars, were made from recycled plastic bottles. However, the athletes’ comfort still comes first, as evidenced by the lightweight, quick-drying, and antibacterial properties of the garment, where each of the sports branch jerseys differ and are customized.
4. Cambodia’s High broadcasting price then turned free
The Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen, declared the free entry policy through his Telegram channel, where the SEA Games and PARA Games would both be broadcasted and have free admission. This news came less than five weeks before the start of the official event, where the host country previously tried to charge their neighboring country, Thailand, around $800,000 for the live broadcast of SEA Games and PARA Games.
5. Singapore achieved their 1,000th gold medal in any sport at the SEA Game
The first day of the swimming competition of the 2023 SEA Games marked a memorable day for Singapore, where the swim team achieved Singapore’s 1000th Gold medal. The medal was won by the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team at the Morodok Techo Aquatics Centre, which was the fourth gold medal of the night for the Singapore swim team. To be particular, the record was sealed by victory of Quah Ting Wen, Quah Jing Wen, Amanda Lim and Nur Marina Chan, adding to the other gold medals won in all SEA Games iterations.
REFERENCES
Carandang, J. K. (2023, May 5). LOOK: All-female Team Philippines at the Cambodia SEA Games opening parade. GMA News Online. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/othersports/869118/all-female-team-philip pines-at-the-cambodia-sea-games-opening-parade/story/
Hutt, D. (2023, April 12). Why Did Cambodia Finally Decide to Make the SEA Games Free? Thediplomat.com. https://thediplomat.com/2023/04/why-did-cambodia-finally-decide-to-make-the-sea-g
ames-free/
Low, L. F. (2023, May 14). SEA Games 2023: Five things to know about fin swimming. The
Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/sea-games-2023-five-things-to-know-about-fin-sw imming
Olympic Council of Asia. (2023a). OCA» Cambodia 2023 announces free entry for SEA Games, no broadcasting fees. Ocasia.org. https://ocasia.org/news/3874-cambodia-2023-announces-free-entry-for-sea-games-no- broadcasting-fees.html
Olympic Council of Asia. (2023b, May). OCA» Singapore swims to 1,000th gold medal in SEA Games history. Ocasia.org. https://ocasia.org/news/3961-singapore-swims-to-1000th-gold-medal-in-sea-games-hi story.html
The Nation. (2023, March 23). Thai SEA Games jerseys made with recycled plastic bottles unveiled. Www.nationthailand.com. https://www.nationthailand.com/lifestyle/sport/40025977
