Cambodian marathoner Hem Bunting (Photo: BBC)Thu Aug 7, 2008
By Ek Madra
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia's Hem Bunting is certain his rivals' preparations for the Beijing Olympics marathon would have been a lot different to his.
Unlike his fellow athletes, Bunting has no coach or sponsor and trains on the busy potholed streets of the impoverished nation's capital Phnom Penh.
He accepts he has to do it all by himself.
"I have been mostly training alone," Bunting told Reuters after a hazardous jog dodging potholes and motorcycles.
"I sometimes can't find a good place to practice because our national stadium is always being used by footballers.
"I've been doing this four years, but I do it because I love to run," added Bunting, whose best time is 24 minutes shy of the marathon world record.
Born to a peasant family in a remote province of northeastern Cambodia 23 years ago, Bunting is one of only four athletes representing the war-scarred Southeast Asian nation in Beijing.
He lives off just $30 a month and the $10 running shoes which helped him win two Southeast Asian Games medals last year have seen better days.
LONELY RUNS
"I think the one that costs $200 would be more suitable for an Olympic marathon," added Bunting, who said his energetic puppy sometimes joins him on his otherwise lonely runs.
"I have no money, what can I do?"
Cambodia has never won an Olympic medal and its greatest sporting success came in 1970 when its athletes won two silvers and three bronzes at the Asian Games in Bangkok.
A brutal civil war and a subsequent Olympic ban ensured there were no more after that.
Although a generous gesture, it is unlikely long-serving Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will have to pay the $10,000 he has promised athletes for a Beijing podium finish.
Cambodia has no budget for athletes and its sports chiefs have used handouts from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ensure 14 officials accompany its two swimmers and two runners in the Chinese capital.
The National Olympic committee, once accused of being freeloaders by Hun Sen, believes there is little point sending a bigger team.
"The Olympics Games is 10 times tougher than even the Asian Games," Olympic committee chief Meas Sarin told Reuters.
"We really don't have a hope of winning any medals."
Unlike his fellow athletes, Bunting has no coach or sponsor and trains on the busy potholed streets of the impoverished nation's capital Phnom Penh.
He accepts he has to do it all by himself.
"I have been mostly training alone," Bunting told Reuters after a hazardous jog dodging potholes and motorcycles.
"I sometimes can't find a good place to practice because our national stadium is always being used by footballers.
"I've been doing this four years, but I do it because I love to run," added Bunting, whose best time is 24 minutes shy of the marathon world record.
Born to a peasant family in a remote province of northeastern Cambodia 23 years ago, Bunting is one of only four athletes representing the war-scarred Southeast Asian nation in Beijing.
He lives off just $30 a month and the $10 running shoes which helped him win two Southeast Asian Games medals last year have seen better days.
LONELY RUNS
"I think the one that costs $200 would be more suitable for an Olympic marathon," added Bunting, who said his energetic puppy sometimes joins him on his otherwise lonely runs.
"I have no money, what can I do?"
Cambodia has never won an Olympic medal and its greatest sporting success came in 1970 when its athletes won two silvers and three bronzes at the Asian Games in Bangkok.
A brutal civil war and a subsequent Olympic ban ensured there were no more after that.
Although a generous gesture, it is unlikely long-serving Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will have to pay the $10,000 he has promised athletes for a Beijing podium finish.
Cambodia has no budget for athletes and its sports chiefs have used handouts from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ensure 14 officials accompany its two swimmers and two runners in the Chinese capital.
The National Olympic committee, once accused of being freeloaders by Hun Sen, believes there is little point sending a bigger team.
"The Olympics Games is 10 times tougher than even the Asian Games," Olympic committee chief Meas Sarin told Reuters.
"We really don't have a hope of winning any medals."
9 comments:
Mr Bunting makes a wonderful sacrifice and contribution to raise Cambodian flag in Beijing.
I am just wondering why we must send 14 officials to Beijing? Why they don't use expense for those officials to buy shoes and pay for training of Bunting?
When we look at the governance system, it's totally unacceptable.
To avoid future pitfalls, Khmer leaders must look through the entire system of governance, collaborate with other stakeholders, and set expectation for the future. This will build a strong base for future learning capabilities that lead to very good governance by not wasting resource unncessarily.
Kong Moeung
10,000 USD for Hun Sen is nothing. He should have spent at least 1,000,000.00 USD from his own pocket to help this poor good Khmer athletic like Hem Bunting.
Hun Sen has to reduce smoking, saving money for this poor guy.
14 officials to accompany 4 sportsmen? Typical of these parasites who live off the sweat and blood of the athletes. Oh well, they are only imitating Cambodian leaders who have got filthy rich on the back of the millions and millions of poor Khmers.
dirt-poor country but rich-ass individuals. I wonder how long will it take to get this country out of the current shithole.
WTF??!!!! This is an OUTRAGE. 30 dollars a month??? What the fruck is HUN SEN doing? And what the fruck are all these rich mother frucker doing? They are millionaires, yet they do not have the decency to contribute a couple of thousand dollars to support our athletes? It's the world olympic!!!
Can someone please set up Hem Bunting for a charity event to support him and his fellow athletes? I would love to give some donation via paypal to support the impoverished runner.
Folks, my beloved Khmer, yet another victim of country image. Previously, we had a horrible image of our poverished soldiers with mixed-and-matched clothes with flip-flop, and later donations were come in for them. Now, we see another victim.
What a shame on the Hun's administration.
The fucking Hun's administration has ruined the Cambodian image throughout the world. This is what happens when these fuckers put their interests before the people.
I say, please have the Thai army teach this administration a lesson, perhaps could lead to topple the de facto government.
Fuck ah Hun's administration.
That is why Khmers have to join with Siam to become one country, because the thugs like Hun Sen don't know the value of athletics.
Do all local and oversea Khmers need to raise money for Bunting, like they do in case of Preah Vihear ???????
It's too late to raise the money now; the game starts tomorrow (08/08/08.
Fuck ah Hun's administration.
You will do down in the not-too-distant future.
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