PHNOM PENH: The Cambodian women's field hockey team will compete in the 19th Asian Games from September 23 to October 8 in Hangzhou, China.

Secretary General of the Cambodian Hockey Federation (CHF) Kang Sothea said that the team has become a formidable opponent in the region. In this year’s SEA Games, they brought home a bronze medal for Cambodia. He remarked that the athletes will benefit from the opportunity to build up their professional experience.

Field hockey had a rocky start in the Kingdom, with the CHF being established in 2003, then being dissolved in 2006 due to lack of interest. It was re-established in 2010 under the leadership of National Olympic Committee of Cambodia secretary-general Vath Chamroeun. Since then, the program has seen steady growth and the women’s team achieved their first international victory over last year at the 2022 Women’s Indoor Hockey Asia Cup when they defeated Singapore 3-0.

The Asian Games is a large multi-sports event in the Asian continent organised every four years. Cambodia has been competing in the event since 1954. In the last Asian Games in 2018, Cambodia won gold medals in Jet Ski and Ju-jitsu.