From the capital, Phnom Penh.
Technical Coaching Course of Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, July 7-17th, 2008
I’m running a 9-day clinic for 24 coaches from across the country. Sent by F.I.G., my Olympic Solidarity course is sponsored by the International Olympic Committee as part of their mandate to raise Olympic sport in developing countries.
The sports of Bokator, Pradal Serey (Khmer kick boxing) and Khmer traditional wrestling are popular here. I’d say the people of the big city are sports crazy with thousands out every night playing tennis, soccer and almost everything else.
The gymnastics venue is at the National Olympic Stadium. They have superb mats. But not all the apparatus is F.I.G. standard as yet. New equipment has been coming in from China and Korea.
The top boys are skilled at tumbling and vault having worked recently with a top Korean coach. Cambodia has high level competitors in Aerobic Gymnastics, as well.
Each morning we spend 3hrs in the classroom. Translation has been excellent. Videos and photos require no translation, of course.
Tomorrow we take all coaches and demonstrators on a “study tour” to a top gym outside Phnom Penh. We are all excited about the “road trip”.
The organization has been excellent since I arrived. And I’m happy to be back in Cambodia, a nation I visited as a tourist 10yrs ago.
I have a few more photos up on Flickr.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 