Cambodia’s sporting success in 2014 continued on Sunday when Ni Samnang grappled to the Kingdom’s first Asian Beach Games medal – a bronze in the women under-60kg category of the beach wrestling competition in Phuket.

Ni Samnang holds up a mascot toy while wearing her bronze medal from the 4th Asian Beach Games in Phuket on Sunday. KEN GADAFFI

The 19-year-old SEA Games gold medalist defeated Indonesia’s Sri Rahayu 2-1 after recording an earlier loss to Nguyen Thi Nga of Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Chon Thoun suffered three straight sets defeats by South Korean, Vietnamese and Iranian rivals in the men’s under-80kg class. In the men’s under-70kg division on Saturday, Kang Danpiseth was similarly blanked by Turkmen and Syrian opponents.

On Friday, the footvolley team succumbed to Malaysia 18-11, 18-10, before bouncing back to hammer India 18-7, 18-10. Two straight sets losses against Laos and the UAE, however, meant Cambodia fell short of a podium place.

Cambodia’s beach volleyball duo of Sim Khlork and Lim Samat worked over their Palestine counterparts in the first match of their group stage yesterday. The duo will meet Qatar today before facing Vietnam tomorrow for a chance to advance from the group.