Blazing the golden trail of vovinam fighter Ly Boramy, the petanque men’s doubles pair of Or Chan Daren and Yim Sophorn struck Cambodia’s second gold at the 26th SEA Games in Indonesia yesterday as a clutch of silver medals and two bronze varieties kept the Kingdom’s contingent buoyant.

The Cambodian duo were called upon to do their best in the final at the courts of Palembang’s Jakabaring Sport Complex which produced a nail baiting finish that saw Or Chan Daren and Yim Sophorn keep their nerves to down Vietnamese players Huynh Cong Tam and Nguyen Van Dung 13-12.

In sharp contrast to this grandstand finish came a tame display in the final by Cambodia’s women’s doubles pairing of Duong Dina and Oum Chantrea who went out without a trace 13-0 against Thailand’s Thongsri Thamakord and Phantipha Wongchuv. However, having come out of a tough semifinal against Vietnam’s Vu Thi Thu and Nguyen Thi Trang 13-11, The Cambodians were more than happy to pick up a silver medal.

There was a tinge of disappointment over some other near misses of golds in Jakarta yesterday.

Current ASEAN champion in her class Sorn Davin found the going tough against Ha Thi Nguyen of Vietnam in the final and had to settle for a silver medal, the first for the country in taekwondo on the top of three bronzes so far. On the way to the final, Sorn Davin had dealt expertly with Indonesia’s Katur Yuni Riyanin in the semis.

Cambodia’s silver medal count was kept ticking by Vovinam fighters as Pal Chhoraksmy garnered a double silver, her first coming overnight. On the men’s front, Lim Paov Houngyan lost a close 60kg final.

Meanwhile, a strong third quarter showing ensured Thailand a comfortable 85-62 victory over Cambodia in men’s basketball. The Thais led all the way, except for a brief portion of the fourth quarter when the two sides came up with 18 points apiece. But the 13-point cushion for Thailand proved to big a gap for Cambodia to bridge.

This was Cambodia’s second defeat in the four-team group having been flattened in the opener against reigning champions the Philippines 127-68 on Monday. Cambodia are effectively out of the competition and play Vietnam in an inconsequential pool tie today.

Late on Monday, Cambodia’s gold medallist Ly Boramy figured prominently among the vovinam foursome going for gold in the men’s attacking by leg. But the Cambodian quartet of Ly Boramy, San Socheat, Chrin Bunlong and Kat Sopheak lost out in the final and had to settle for silvers.

Cambodia’s bronze count was boosted by two more on Monday evening after Chab Linh and Nuth Sophal lost their semifinals in Greco-Roman wrestling. Thailand’s Phongsatorn Moonme got the better of Chab Linh in the 50kg class while Indonesia’s Muhammad Aliyansya stopped Nuth Sophol in the 60kg category.

The Cambodian table tennis pairing of Nay Saravey and Tang Hav crashed out of the men’s doubles second round, beaten 11-1, 11-5, 11-9 by the Indonesian duo Santoso Fikcy Supi and Agus Fredi Pramono.

The Kingdom’s spikers were also at the receiving end in indoor volleyball, going down without a whimper in straight sets to Myanmar. With two losses in the group, Cambodia has been bundled out of the event.

Cambodia’s medal tally at time of print stood at two golds, seven silvers and nine bronzes, safely ahead of Myanmar, Brunei and East Timor, who have all yet to win a gold.

Hosts Indonesia sit proudly on top of the charts with 71 golds, 58 silvers and 53 bronzes. Thailand are second and Vietnam third.