Hundreds of amputees traveled to the capital last week for the International
Handicapped Sports Day, the second national athletic event for the
disabled.
The crowd of 1,000 cheered as 373 of Cambodia's 40,000 amputees
took part in volleyball, boules, badminton, table tennis, sprints, and a 10 km
wheelchair race.
Many had to be content to take seats on the sidelines -
not because of their disabilities, but due to too many entries.
Rattana
Em, president of the Khmer Foundation for Humanitarian Action (KFHA), which
organized the sports day, said the event was "highly successful" even though
many could not compete.
But even those who missed registration or were
physically unable to take part in any of the games seemed thrilled to be
there.
Keo Thol, 25, traveled over 200 km just to play ping pong. Thol
lost his leg in 1987 after treading on a land mine
