Teqball Bronze Medals Inspire Cambodia's Athletes at Asian Games

Cambodia's pair of bronze medals in teqball during the early stages of the 20th Asian Games has energized athletes across other disciplines as they push for podium finishes, according to Vath Chamroeun, secretary-general of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia and chef de mission for the national delegation.

Teqball made its first appearance at the Asian Games during the 2026 competition in Japan, and Cambodia wasted no time making an impact. Die Kimyan claimed bronze in the women's singles, while the doubles team of Yon Sophornraksmey and Mey Sreymeas also secured bronze in their event.

The medal count grew on Monday when Chheng Dalin earned bronze in mixed martial arts, finishing third in the women's under-60kg category.

Chamroeun, who leads the Cambodia Teqball Federation, expressed pride in the achievements and highlighted how the athletes had progressed from regional competition to earning medals on Asia's biggest sporting stage. Speaking on Sunday, he emphasized that the results reflected genuine advancement in Cambodian athletics.

"Competing at the Asian Games represents the highest tier of sport in our region. We didn't anticipate that teqball, which is still emerging as a discipline, would deliver these medals so quickly. Our work has elevated our sporting profile and proven we can stand alongside the other 45 nations and territories competing here," Chamroeun stated.

He suggested the early medals would provide momentum for Cambodian competitors in other sports preparing for or currently engaged in their events at the Games.

"These initial bronze medals from our teqball athletes set a benchmark for everyone else representing Cambodia here. We ask fans to keep supporting our team. Our goal for the 20th Asian Games is to return with more medals than we earned at the 19th edition in China back in 2023," he added.

Cambodia deployed a 106-person delegation to the 2026 Games, competing across 14 different sports. Six disciplines have been identified as strong medal prospects: jiu-jitsu, taekwondo, triathlon, karate, mixed martial arts, and esports.

During Monday afternoon's action, Dalin faced Uzbekistan's Khiola Sobirova in the MMA women's under-60kg semifinal. Though Chheng came up short in a competitive decision loss, reaching the semifinals guaranteed her a bronze medal.

Vath noted the delegation has received direct backing from Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, along with NOCC President Thong Khon, who traveled to Japan to be present for the team. He added that the entire country of roughly 17 million people stands behind the athletes.

"Every Cambodian is channeling their energy and support toward the team from home. We're optimistic that the coming days will bring continued success," he said.