A Malaysian coach is currently training 25 Cambodian gymnasts at Phnom Penh's Olympic

Stadium to compete in the 1995 SEA Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Miss Ching Joo Lan, a former champion gymnast and international judge, is the first

foreign coach to carry out a selection and training program in Cambodia.

"I know nobody is teaching or coaching Khmer gymnasts and it's not enough for

seniors to teach the juniors," she told The Post .

Cambodian gymnasts need to improve their skills but lack adequate equipment and facilities.

"They lack the right kind of training," said Ching, whose presence in Phnom

Penh was made possible by Malaysian Airlines. "If the government will not provide

a good coach, they will not be successful."

With a 20-year gap, Cambodian sportsmen and women are once again trying to organize

themselves and the National Khmer Olympic Committee (NKOC) has appealed to former

sports-stars to assist in rebuilding Cambodia's competitive athletic capabilities.

About 50 Cambodian gymnasts, aged 9 to 18, have so far been selected by NKOC for

training.