The 'Last Place Sprint' Unstoppable Even by Heavy Rain... "Anyone Can Reach Their Destination"

True Sportsmanship Delivered
'Sudden Stardom' and Prize Money Included

A story has been shared about a track athlete who ran the entire race despite heavy rain pouring down and suffering from anemia.

According to AFP and Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP), on the 8th (local time) at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) women's 5000m final held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's Bou Samnang (20) was the last to cross the finish line.

She competed while suffering from anemia. Furthermore, after all the runners ahead had crossed the finish line, a sudden heavy downpour disrupted the race. However, she persevered to complete the race with the determination not to give up on the international stage held for the first time in her homeland, Cambodia.

She finished with a time of 22 minutes 54 seconds, 5 minutes 54 seconds behind Vietnam's Nguyen Thi Oanh, who took first place, but the spectators applauded and cheered for Samnang.

Bow Samnang of Cambodia running through heavy rain.
[Photo by International Olympic Committee (IOC)]

Samnang said, "My trainer was worried about my health and told me to quit running, but I promised to do my best in the race for my country." She also said that thoughts of her father, who passed away a few years ago, helped strengthen her resolve.

She added, "When I reached the finish line, I was somewhat disappointed that I did not win, but I was also happy," and "People gave me a lot of encouragement despite the fact that I lost."

She said, "I wanted to show that regardless of being a little slow or fast, anyone can reach the same destination in life," and "We should not give up and must do our best."

She also expressed her ambition, saying, "Based on this experience, I will continue to move forward and be patient."

In response, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen separately awarded Samnang a prize of $10,000. Samnang said she plans to use it to support her family.

It is also reported that many universities have offered scholarships to Samnang, who plans to enter university this year to major in Information Technology (IT) and Law.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) posted a special feature page introducing Samnang on its website that day, stating, "Tears mixed with rainwater ran down Samnang’s face as she crossed the finish line, and emotion spread."

The video of Samnang’s race posted on the IOC’s official Twitter has now surpassed 700,000 views and has been shared over 1,200 times. Netizens who watched Samnang’s video left comments such as "She showed true sportsmanship" and "A video from which we can learn a lot."