Cambodian participants praise China for "magnificent" Asian Winter Games

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian participants on Tuesday lauded the "magnificent" Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang province, saying that the event signified peace, unity, solidarity, and friendship in Asia.

The Games started on Feb. 7 and ended on Feb. 14. Cambodia, a tropical and hot country, sent a team of athletes to take part in the games for the first time in the kingdom's history.

Speaking to Xinhua after returning from the games, slopestyle snowboarder Phin Meng Choing, 16, said he was proud to be the first athlete of the country to contest in the Asian Winter Games.

"It was amazing for us because we had never participated in such a big event before," he told Xinhua. "I had exchanged experience with other athletes and gained insight into Chinese culture."

Meng Choing said China had organized the games well, providing participants with accommodation, food, and other services perfectly.

"I contested in the sport of snowboard slopestyle. Although my result is not good, I am happy to accept it as it gives me new experience and knowledge," he said.

Another slopestyle snowboarder Pisey Panhasith, 15, said the games had not only provided him new experience and good memories, but also created friendship among athletes from other teams.

He said beyond the games, he had visited a museum and gained insight into culture and daily life of people in Harbin.

"For my next goal, I want a scholarship to get trained abroad because I want to be a strong athlete," he said.

Snowboard slopestyle coach Kosal Pisey said the games had created unity, solidarity, friendship and cooperation among Asian teams.

He said a total of four Cambodian athletes took part in the games, contesting in the sport of snowboard slopestyle.

Pisey praised China for organizing the ninth edition of the Asian Winter Games amazingly, attracting a lot of athletes from Asian countries and regions.

"The games was organized in a high-level standard, as techniques, terrain parks, scoring methods, and pre-contest rehearsals had been perfectly organized," he said.

"We were excited because we had never expected that we had a chance to participate in such a continental-level event that required athletes with quality," he added.

Pisey said the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia has expressed high pride for Cambodia's first historic participation in the games, saying that it marked the starting point of Cambodia's winter games.

The coach said the Southeast Asian country was satisfied with the athletes' results though they haven't earned a single medal.

Under the theme "Dream of Winter, Love among Asia," the games featured over 1,200 athletes from 34 countries and regions competing in 64 events across 11 disciplines, making it the largest edition of the Asian Winter Games in history. ■