Chess champions Pham Thanh Phuong Thao and Ton Nu Hong An have made history for Vietnam by winning the country’s first gold medal at the 2023 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, after coming out on top in the Ouk Chaktrang women’s doubles event on Tuesday.
Ouk Chaktrang, the traditional Cambodian variant of chess, will be the first sport to open the 2023 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap Province, Preah Sihanouk Province, Kampot Province, and Kep Province. The official opening ceremony of the event is scheduled for May 5th, and will run until May 17th.
The game of Ouk Chaktrang has been played in Cambodia for many centuries, and is a beloved pastime for many Cambodians. It has become increasingly popular in recent years, and is now set to become an official sport at the 2023 SEA Games. It is expected that the event will provide a great opportunity for Cambodians to showcase their skills and talent in this traditional game.
For many Cambodians, the 2023 SEA Games will be a historic event. Not only will it be the first time that the game of Ouk Chaktrang is featured at the event, but it will also be the first time that Cambodia will host the SEA Games. This will be an incredible opportunity for Cambodia to show the world its culture and its unique brand of chess. It will be a great source of pride and honor for the country, and its people.
The 2023 SEA Games will be a special event for Cambodians, as it will be the first time that Ouk Chaktrang will be featured at the event. It will provide an excellent opportunity for Cambodians to showcase their skills and talent in this traditional game, and to show the world their culture and their unique brand of chess. The event will be a great source of pride and honor for the country and its people, and will be a memorable moment in Cambodian history.
The Ouk Chaktrang competitions are taking place from April 29 to May 9, featuring seven exciting events. Competitors will be able to showcase their skills and strive for glory in a variety of disciplines, including archery, wrestling, and horse racing. With prizes and medals up for grabs, these competitions will be sure to draw in a large crowd of spectators. Furthermore, traditional folk music and dance performances will also be held throughout the duration of the event, providing an enjoyable atmosphere for all.
In the women’s doubles event, seven countries competed for the top spot. Thao and An emerged triumphant after winning their match against the Philippine players, their fifth consecutive victory. This impressive feat secured their position at the top of the tournament’s leaderboard.
On their way to the gold medal, the team beat Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Thailand at the Royal University of Phnom Penh.
The incredible performance of the duo has already made them champions, even though they still have one remaining match to take on Laos on May 6.
This is the first time Ouk Chaktrang, the traditional chess of Cambodia, has been held at the SEA Games. It is widely known and popular amongst Khmer communities, including those in Vietnam.
The Vietnamese players had only been honing their skills in the game of Ouk Chaktrang for approximately eight months prior to the tournament, as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
Following Thao and An’s gold medal win, Pham Van Tien, the Chairman of the Vietnam Chess Federation, announced a reward of US$2,000 for each gold medal winner.
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