A three-member Cambodian bodybuilding team recorded one of the biggest successes on the international stage, taking home gold, silver and bronze medals from the 9th World Championships, which concluded in Mongolian capital Ulan Batar yesterday.

Befitting the spectacular triumph, gold medallist Nan Sambo, silver winner Bunvy Tek and bronze getter Sobin Nom were accorded a grand reception on their arrival at the Phnom Penh International Airport yesterday afternoon.

The trio were driven back to National Olympic Committee of Cambodia headquarters, escorted by a 12-man motorcycle escort.

The 35-year-old Sambo, who owns a gymnasium in Battambong, topped the men’s athletic physique, where his teammates from Phnom Penh, Tek and Nom also got into the medal-winning zone.

“The trio had been training for the last seven months and the result of that hard work and dedication has paid off. This is one of our best performances ever,” said Cambodian Bodybuilding Federation President Rasmey Sokmongkol, who accompanied the team to Mongolia.

“This outstanding result at the world level shows that question marks over the physicality of Cambodians is not at all a factor,” Sokmongkol said. “We continue to push forward for excellence in this sport, which is gaining popularity and recognition.

“We have a national contest next month and the most talented will be given special attention for major events,” the CBBF president added.

The secretary-general of the NOCC, Vath Chamroeun, greeted the medallists at the airport and later presented them with mementos.

“This is indeed a proud achievement by our bodybuilders,” Chamroeun said, assuring the federation of all possible support in keeping the good work going.

It was seven years ago that Sokmong-kol brought Sambo back to Cambodia from Thailand, where he was working as a librarian, and put him on his path to a bodybuilding career.