Cheng Phearom scored a rare badminton victory for Cambodia on Sunday at the second Asian Youth Games in Nanjing, eastern China.

According to delegation leader Noon Sokvisal, the young shuttler stormed his preliminary match 21-14, 21-15 against an opponent from the Maldives. However, Phearom came unstuck in the quarter-finals, going down 21-11, 21-9 to a Filipino player.

Cambodia’s Kev Pich Chhorvy also lost against Philippines opposition, beaten 21-4, 9-21, 21-8 in her women’s singles opener.

In the mixed doubles competition, Phearom and Chhorvy were outclassed by a Chinese pair by a 21-9, 21-6 scoreline.

National Olympic Committee of Cambodia secretary-general Vath Chamroeun, who was visiting the Games, told the Post: “I appreciate the result as an improvement on previous tournaments. We’ve never won [a single game in badminton], even at the SEA Games.”