Smart Run returns in Pursat River
The event has rapidly gained popularity among the Kingdom’s burgeoning athletic community due to its picturesque course along the banks of the Pursat river.
The 5km, 10km and disabled races are expected to attract more than 500 runners this year from across the country, including some stars from Cambodia’s national athletics team and other national sports teams. In previous years, Olympic athletes Hem Bunting and Kieng Samorn have taken part.
Race founder Steve Harknett recalled that it was first held in 2007 as a one-off event, but went annual due to its success.
“The [Pursat River Run] gives people who love running the chance to enjoy a race that’s small and friendly, but also well-organised and competitive in a beautiful part of Cambodia they may have never visited before,” said the Englishman.
The competition is organised by the Pursat Sports Office and local physical education teachers, and garners support from well-wishers and athletics fans in the UK. It is non-profit-making, with all funds raised going to local schools to buy sports equipment and to sponsor promising runners in Pursat to take part in other races.
Since the race’s inception, at least two Pursat runners have been helped in their pursuit of a place in the Cambodian national athletics team.
Registered runners receive a T-shirt and prizes are available for the top ten finishers in both the 5km and 10km for both men and women.
Buoyed by last year’s success, the small provincial capital of Pursat is bracing itself for the fourth edition of the Pursat River Run this Sunday.
The town of 25,000 people comes bustling to life during these increasingly popular road races of 5 kilometres and 10 kilometres for both men and women, when the area pools its resources to promote health and sport and also raise funds for the development of budding young local athletes.
The annual river run, which takes a picturesque route along the banks of the Pursat river, is organised by Pursat Development of Education, Youth and Sport with support from the Kingmaker Foundation and the Green Vespa. The Disability Development Services Programme is also staging two races for the disabled – one for amputees, mainly landmine survivors, and the other for wheelchair racers.
The event has steadily grown in stature since its inception in 2007. The inaugural event attracted 286 runners, which increased to 393 the following year before seeing a record 495 compete last year. The organisers are confident that there will be another sizeable increase in participation this year.
The idea for the event was conceived by English expatriate runner and Pursat resident Steve Harknett as a response to the dearth of organised long distance road races in the country. The inaugural run was named after famous local legend Oknha Khleang Moeung before switching to its current title the following year, when an extra race for the disabled athletes was introduced. The third edition on October 25 last year included nine elite Cambodian runners, 20 expatriates from 11 countries, as well as 18 amputees and 13 wheelchair racers.
One of the Kingdom’s leading cellphone services providers, Smart Mobile, are the main sponsors this year, donating the entire prize fund including cash, locally-made trophies and other prizes for the first 15 finishers in the men’s and women’s over 5 kilometre and 10 kilometre races.
According to race organisers, all proceeds from the event will go towards school sports development in Pursat. The three-pronged objective of the River Run is to celebrate running, promote disability equality and stimulate the local economy.
Pursat is small province, situation in northwestern Cambodia, 186km northwest of Phnom Penh, and borders the Tonle Sap Lake to the northeast. Posat, is a rural town and lies off National Highway 5, straddling the Country's two major cities of Phnom Penh and Battambang.
Pusat can be reached by road in an air-conditioned bus, shared taxi or car rentals and if time is no problem, a train rip through the Cambodian Countryside can be and attractive alternative. The Pusat river adds beauty to the town, and flows in the Tonle Sap Great Lake, which covers about 124,635 hectares and is approximately 80km in length.
The river originates in the Cardamom Mountains, which acts as a high rainfall catchments area. During the heat of the day many children can be seen splashing around in the river and during the evening locals stroll along the riverbank, or swim and fish in a small dam/spillway further upstream.
