28-year-old Cambodian Sok Sopheak, aka Polo, claimed his best-ever placing of fourth in the 2009 Asia Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships in ThailandDespite failing to make the podium, he was delighted with his best-ever placing in an international event.
Training out of Phnom Penh's Rama Fitness Club, Sok Sopheak entered the competition at the 1.65-metre division of the Men's Classic Body category. Iran's Seyed Roohollah Mirnoorollahi took the gold medal, with Daljit Singh of India coming second and Thailand's Kittipong Jansuwan taking third.
Polo, who has adjusted his weight between 60 and 75 kilograms to suit his competitions, has never gained such a good placing in overseas competition. In the same tournament last year, he ranked ninth in Men's Body Building category, while at the 2007 South East Asia Championships, he took eighth in the same classification.Polo explained that experience from previous events has helped him significantly to improve his placings.
"I didn't know clearly what food was necessary for bodybuilding," he said. "But experiences from several competitions, and through acquaintance with foreign bodybuilders, I got to know how to eat properly."
Polo remembered meeting a Thai athlete in Hong Kong last year, who set him straight on the correct way to balance his diet. "He told me what food to eat and what not to eat."
The 28-year-old Cambodian expressed his pleasure at achieving at something that came out of his own effort, thanking the encouragement of Cambodian youngsters around him.
Rama Fitness club owner Ky Sao, who recommended Polo to travel to Pattaya to join the competition, applauded the bodybuilder's success, saying: "This is the pride of Cambodian sportsmen."
Polo said he had gone through various difficulties in building up his body and attending international competitions, initially without the support of sponsors. However, support from Paul Chua, secretary general of Asia Body Building and Fitness Federation, and Pakpong Kriangsa, director of the Thailand Fitness Federation, eventually allowed him to participate.
Moreover, Polo noted that his food requirement was extremely expensive, with six daily meals including eggs, fish, vegetables, fruit and chicken breast, costing between US$15 and $20 per day. "My mother always scolded me because she was not sure what my money was spent on when she gave it to me," Polo revealed.
Unfortunately, the Cambodian received no cash prize for his fourth rank, with just the prestige and a medal to reward his efforts.
Polo said he had gone through various difficulties in building up his body and attending international competitions, initially without the support of sponsors. However, support from Paul Chua, secretary general of Asia Body Building and Fitness Federation, and Pakpong Kriangsa, director of the Thailand Fitness Federation, eventually allowed him to participate.
Moreover, Polo noted that his food requirement was extremely expensive, with six daily meals including eggs, fish, vegetables, fruit and chicken breast, costing between US$15 and $20 per day. "My mother always scolded me because she was not sure what my money was spent on when she gave it to me," Polo revealed.
Unfortunately, the Cambodian received no cash prize for his fourth rank, with just the prestige and a medal to reward his efforts.
Kong Phalla, secretary of the Cambodian Fitness Federation, acknowledged that the institution was lacking in funds to support the daily fees incurred by its registered athletes, stating there was not even enough to subsidise travel and accommodation costs. However, he praised Polo's achievement, saying: "The result of Sopheak makes me pleased."
Cambodia is going to send Sok Sopheak, to the First World Bodybuilding and Physiques Sports Education (WBPF) Men’s World Body Building Championship. The world competition will be organized by WBPF and scheduled to be held from the 3rd to the 8th of November in Dubai, in UAE. There are over 30 countries in the world will send contestants to the competition.
“This is the first time for CBBF to send Sok Sopheak to join the World Bodybuilding Championship,” said Kong Phalla, Executive Member of the Cambodian Body Building Federation (CBBF).
Phalla said the main purpose of his participation is competing with other participated athletes from other countries in order to win a medal for the Kingdom of Cambodia.
He pointed out that Sok Sopheak is the only qualified lower weight body building trainee and capable young Cambodian in Cambodia. He has attended many competitions, both local and international tournaments, and as result, he won many medals.
“I think that Sok Sopheak is the only qualified and capable lower weight bodybuilding man for the WBPF Men’s World Bodybuilding Championship. I believe that with his hard training, hard work and previous competing experiences, he will be able to win a medal in international competitions in the future,” he said during an interview with The Southeast Asia Weekly on October 8.
Phalla pointed out that last month, Sopheak has attended the international body building tournament in Pathaya in Thailand, along with other athletes from over 30 countries in the world where he won the fourth class from the competition.
“I am very proud at Sok Sopheak’s hard work and I hope that with his talent and experience he will gain good results at the competition in Dubai,” he said.
Sopheak, 60 kg, was born in Kandal province in 1980. He has two brothers and one sister. He is the only body builder in his family. He now is training with Rama Fitness Center in Phnom Penh. He started training Bodybuilding in Phnom Penh in 2003 to improve his health and to promote this sport.
“I like training because I wanted to improve my health and to be a strong man in my country,” he told The Southeast Asia Weekly. “It has always been my dream to reach the top ten of bodybuilding in Cambodia.”
Sopheak said that since he has been training the bodybuilding in 2003, he has been attended many national and international bodybuilding competitions in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand, as results, he won a total of four medals from the these competitions.
He received a silver medal in 2005; he won the first class of Cambodian-Thai Friendship Bodybuilding tournament in 2006; he won the second class of the Cambodian-Thai Friendship body building tournament in 2007; and he won the fourth class in Thailand in September 2009.
“I am happy that I was selected again for the World Bodybuilding Championship in Dubai,” he said. “I am now training very hard and I will try my best to get a medal and honor for my country in competitions in the future.”
To prepare for the future international tournaments, Sok Sopheak said that he now is training four hours per day. Besides training, Sok Sopeak now is also working as a bodybuilding coach with Parkway Gyms in Phnom Penh. He used also to work as a bodybuilding coach with Sunway Hotel’s training club in 2006 and Cambodiana Hotel’s training club in 2007.
“This is the first time for CBBF to send Sok Sopheak to join the World Bodybuilding Championship,” said Kong Phalla, Executive Member of the Cambodian Body Building Federation (CBBF).
Phalla said the main purpose of his participation is competing with other participated athletes from other countries in order to win a medal for the Kingdom of Cambodia.
He pointed out that Sok Sopheak is the only qualified lower weight body building trainee and capable young Cambodian in Cambodia. He has attended many competitions, both local and international tournaments, and as result, he won many medals.
“I think that Sok Sopheak is the only qualified and capable lower weight bodybuilding man for the WBPF Men’s World Bodybuilding Championship. I believe that with his hard training, hard work and previous competing experiences, he will be able to win a medal in international competitions in the future,” he said during an interview with The Southeast Asia Weekly on October 8.
Phalla pointed out that last month, Sopheak has attended the international body building tournament in Pathaya in Thailand, along with other athletes from over 30 countries in the world where he won the fourth class from the competition.
“I am very proud at Sok Sopheak’s hard work and I hope that with his talent and experience he will gain good results at the competition in Dubai,” he said.
Sopheak, 60 kg, was born in Kandal province in 1980. He has two brothers and one sister. He is the only body builder in his family. He now is training with Rama Fitness Center in Phnom Penh. He started training Bodybuilding in Phnom Penh in 2003 to improve his health and to promote this sport.
“I like training because I wanted to improve my health and to be a strong man in my country,” he told The Southeast Asia Weekly. “It has always been my dream to reach the top ten of bodybuilding in Cambodia.”
Sopheak said that since he has been training the bodybuilding in 2003, he has been attended many national and international bodybuilding competitions in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand, as results, he won a total of four medals from the these competitions.
He received a silver medal in 2005; he won the first class of Cambodian-Thai Friendship Bodybuilding tournament in 2006; he won the second class of the Cambodian-Thai Friendship body building tournament in 2007; and he won the fourth class in Thailand in September 2009.
“I am happy that I was selected again for the World Bodybuilding Championship in Dubai,” he said. “I am now training very hard and I will try my best to get a medal and honor for my country in competitions in the future.”
To prepare for the future international tournaments, Sok Sopheak said that he now is training four hours per day. Besides training, Sok Sopeak now is also working as a bodybuilding coach with Parkway Gyms in Phnom Penh. He used also to work as a bodybuilding coach with Sunway Hotel’s training club in 2006 and Cambodiana Hotel’s training club in 2007.