Cambodia's best ever swimmer, Chhuon Kun, right, congratulates Greg Hallen, winner

of the 9th annual Mekong River Swim last Sunday.

About 130 people completed the 650 meter swim from a start line behind Prek Leap

Agricultural College. (The previous biggest entry was 104 in 2001.)

Hallen, a tobacco control officer with WHO, made it across in 8min 37 sec; the first

woman was Kristina Mitchell in 11min 29sec. There was a mild current and half the

field happily declined the boat ride to swim back to the picnic.

Chhuon Kun, who was the guest starter, won gold medals for Cambodia in the 1965 Southeast

Asian Games in the 100m and 200m backstroke, and a silver in the medley relay; in

1966 at China's equivalent of the Olympic Games for Communist bloc countries, she

won gold in the 200m and silver in the 100m backstroke.

Now resident at Kampong Som, she is "too busy on the farm for swimming these

days".

Major sponsors of the swim were Mobitel, International SOS, SSK Speedboat and Prefer

Software. Organizers are considering making next year's swim part of a triathlon

event.