Three things to know about the 32nd Southeast Asian Games at Cambodia 2023

The Opening Ceremony of the 32nd edition of the Southeast Asian Games takes place on Friday 5 May in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The following 12 days will see the region’s best athletes endeavour to secure titles, achieve personal bests, and showcase the best sport in the area, with iconic Cambodian locations as the backdrop.

With Paris 2024 just 15 months away, preparation for athletes in a multi-sport environment and jostling for potential Olympic spots in front of national federations is key.

In anticipation of the high-profile occasion, Olympics.com highlights three things to know about Cambodia 2023.

Cambodia SEA Games 2023: Angkor Wat hosts marathon and road race

On Tuesday 21 March, King Norodom Sihamoni lit the SEA Games 2023 torch at Cambodia’s iconic Angkor Wat temple to mark the start of the torch relay for the 32nd SEA Games. The date deliberately coincided with the equinox in which the sunrise aligns with the central spire of Angkor Wat, a phenomenon which occurs twice a year.

The following day, the torch left Cambodia to tour the 10 Southeast Asian nations participating in the games, but Angkor Wat’s part is not done yet.

The World Heritage Site, situated just outside the town of Siem Reap, will also host the marathon, the 20km walk, and the road cycling race. The Kulen Mountains surrounding Siem Reap, will also provide the backdrop for mountain biking.

Most events will take place in the capital city of Phnom Penh but there are five host venues.

All event locations at Cambodia 2023

• Phnom Penh
• Siem Reap
• Sihanoukville
• Kampot
• Kep

Cambodia SEA Games 2023 nations: Thailand’s kit made of recycled plastic

The jerseys worn by Thai athletes at the SEA Games Cambodia 2023 are made of recycled plastic bottles, revealed Thiti Pluckchaoom, managing director of kit manufacturer Grand Sport.

He said the initiative raises awareness about global warming and mitigates waste, with the shirts personalised for athletes in different sports and providing an environmentally-friendly memento of the Games.

The concept of "Beyond The Spirit, Beyond Sportswear", parallels the athlete spirit shown throughout their careers, not only when competing.

All 11 competing nations at SEA Games Cambodia 2023:

• Brunei Darussalam
• Cambodia
• Democratic Rep. of Timor-Leste
• Indonesia
• Lao People’s Democratic Republic
• Malaysia
• Myanmar
• Philippines
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Vietnam

Demonstration sport at SEA Games Cambodia 2023: Teqball

Alongside the 47 official sports at the SEA Games 2023, teqball will also feature as a demonstration event.

The football-based game - played on a specially-curved table of similar dimensions to the table tennis version - sees players rally a ball back and forth using any part of the body  (except arms and hands) until a point is won.

Played in a singles or doubles format, a number of world-class footballers have been attracted to the game, including teqball ambassador Ronaldinho. The Brazilian World Cup-winner and Olympic bronze medallist describes teqball as his passion.

Having been added to the programmes of the postponed Sanya 2021 Asian Beach Games, taking place this year, and the 2023 Kraków-Małopolska European Games in Poland from 21 June to 2 July, the sport has also set its sights on potential Olympic inclusion.

SEA Games Cambodia 2023 schedule

Cambodia 2023 runs from Friday 5 May until Wednesday 17 May. Some team events start ahead of the Opening Ceremony on Saturday 29 April.

The 12th ASEAN Para Games will run from Saturday 3 to Friday 9 June 2023 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.