Phnom Penh: The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, the NOCC, is to celebrate Olympic Day virtually on Wednesday next week. The event is an annual one, observed by the International Olympic Committee.

The update was given on Friday  the Secretary-General of the NOCC, Mr. Vath Chamroeun. He says the event aims to promote the Olympic movement and remind Cambodians and the world about the value of the Olympics, sports and a healthy lifestyle. He says an in-person event cannot be held this year, owing to the current Covid-19 situation in the country.

On Wednesday, an online platform will be used, featuring 100 Cambodian Olympians, who will share messages with the public and encourage the youth to play more sport. The Olympians will be drawn from boxing, athletics, cycling, hockey, gymnastics and swimming.

The event will be held exactly one month before the start of the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Cambodia will be sending a small team, with its best hopes for the country’s first-ever Olympic medal pinned on taekwondo and swimming. The nation’s eyes will also be on young Cambodian-American, Jordan Windle, who will represent the United States in the diving competition, having been adopted in Phnom Penh at the age of two by an American couple. He is the first Cambodian ever to qualify for the diving event at the Olympic Games.