The championship took place from 8/2 to 14/2 in the coastal city of Sihanoukville. Vietnam participated with 35 athletes, winning 18 gold, 8 silver, and 10 bronze medals. Meanwhile, host Cambodia ranked second with 17 gold, 15 silver, and 5 bronze medals.

This achievement was surprising, as at SEA Games 32, also held in Cambodia, Vietnam had only won 5 gold medals, while the host nation secured the remaining 14 golds.

Vietnamese martial artists compete at the 6th Kun Khmer World Championship in Cambodia in 2/2026. Photo: Nam Trung

Kun Khmer is Cambodia's national martial art, sharing many similarities with Muay Thai and Kickboxing, utilizing elbow and knee strikes and an aggressive fighting style. However, each sport has its own rules. Cambodia claims Kun Khmer has a history spanning thousands of years, evidenced by carvings and inscriptions on the walls of ancient Khmer temples.

The 6th Kun Khmer World Championship brought together 125 martial artists from 20 nations. The initial number was 35 nations, but it decreased due to security instabilities related to border conflicts between Cambodia and Thailand. Organizers also had to reschedule the competition from 12/2025 to 2/2026. Thailand did not send athletes to participate in this sport, due to conflicts with Muay Thai.

The 7th championship is expected to take place in late 2026 or early 2027 in Can Tho city, Vietnam.

The World Kun Khmer Federation is working to organize the tournament annually. The goal is to achieve international recognition for this martial art, while also aiming for its inclusion in official competition programs at the ASIAD and Olympic Games.

One of the conditions for Olympic qualification is that a sport must be recognized in at least 75 nations. The World Kun Khmer Federation currently has only 63 members.

Hieu Luong