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