US-born Cambodian swimmer Pou Sovijja will begin his first Olympics tonight at 11pm Cambodian time when he competes in the men’s 100m freestyle heats and opens the 2016 Rio Games for the Kingdom.

Sovijja is ready to do his best at the world’s biggest sporting event in the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre tonight, according to Vath Chamroeun, secretary-general of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia.

Chamroeun, head of the Cambodian delegation, told the Post via telephone: “We are well prepared. We arrived here on August 6 so we’ve had plenty of time to get used to the environment and get over any jet lag. I believe Sovijja will be ready and will do well.”

Chamroeun also praised the warm welcome Team Cambodia received from their Brazilian hosts. “The food and accomodation at the Olympic Village has been excellent since we have arrived,” he said.

Hem Kiri Vitiny, secretary-general of the Cambodian Swimming Federation, now in Rio, said: “I expect Sovijja will break his personal best from Singapore where he finished at 53 seconds at the SEA Games.”