Four memorable moments from the 2023 Southeast Asian Games
First-time hosts Cambodia showcased a spectacle of sport from athletes representing 11 regions at the 32nd edition of the SEA Games. Check out some of those highlights here.
The 32nd Southeast Asian Games have come to a close with the ASEAN Para Games soon to follow from 3-9 June.
There were 2,037 medals won across 37 different sports at SEA Games 2023 from every nation that makes up the region – Brunei Darussalam, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and first-time hosts, Cambodia.
Olympics.com picks four memorable moments from the 32nd edition of the Games.
Bou Samnang, the 5,000m runner who went viral
A video of Cambodia's Bou Samnang went viral at the Southeast Asian Games after the athlete refused to stop running despite a torrential downpour, thunder and lightning beginning toward the end of her 5,000m race on 9 May.
All other athletes had finished so the solitary figure running through the storm tugged on the heartstrings as the home athlete refused to give up.
“It was important for me to finish the race," Samnang told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview a few days later, "because of the crowd support that I had and also that I was representing Cambodia. I couldn’t just stop the race even though I had the right to,"
Singapore swimmer Jonathan Tan secures spot for Paris 2024
Singapore were once again dominant in the pool, achieving their best ever results at the SEA Games, winning 47 medals (22 gold, 16 silver and nine bronze) across the six-day competition. They also achieved their 1,000th gold medal in any sport at the SEA Games.
But there was on individual who claimed more than a SEA Games title. Jonathan Tan achieved the Paris 2024 Olympic Qualifying Time in the men’s 50m freestyle – 21.91s in the heats, under the qualifying mark 21.96s – and therefore secured a spot for the Games in France next year, in what will be his debut Olympics.
Despite the achievement being a lifelong dream, Tan tried to keep his emotions under wraps, telling Olympics.com exclusively how he felt the moment he saw the time.
“The first thing that came into my mind was, ‘oh my god’, but honestly, I really tried to suppress it and try not to think about it because I know that my team still needs me, and we still have many more races to come.”
Jessa Khan achieves redemption, at second time of asking
The ups and downs of sport were displayed via one athlete, ju-jitsu star, Jessa Khan.
Competing at her home SEA Games, the US-born athlete had some demons to conquer. At the previous edition of the Games, at Hanoi 2021, Khan couldn’t defend her gold medal from the 2017 Games due to being 200g over the weight limit.
Khan was back and wanted redemption.
In her first event however, the ne-waza gi 52kg, Philippines’ Jenna Kaila Napolis upset the comeback story by beating Khan with a last-second sweep to take gold.
A few days later though, Khan had another chance.
With all the pressure on her shoulders from the home fans and the weight of her own expectation, Khan conquered another Filipina, Meggie Ochoa, in the ne-waza nogi 52kg class to take gold in front of an exuberant crowd.
Artistic gymnast Carlos Yulo enjoys team event with band of brothers
Despite being a six-time world medallist, Carlos Yulo told Olympics.com he was nervous on the first day of two scheduled for the artistic gymnastics competition in Phnom Penh, which saw the men’s team and individual all-around titles decided. Gymnasts would also qualify for the apparatus finals the following day.
“At first, especially in rings, I was really nervous,” he said. “My legs are shaking but I managed to do it. So I was really happy because this is the starter for me and afterwards, I thought I’m going to be fine.”
Used to competing on the world stage alone, the 23-year-old Filipino, who is a two-time world champion helped himself to gold medals in the individual all-around and parallel bars, and silver on rings and in the team event behind defending champions Vietnam.
"It’s really different when I do it by myself – in the individual all-around – and the team competition is really making me hyped, and the atmosphere as well. I really loved it."
