The Cambodian wrestling team is gearing up for a major push at the upcoming ASEAN Wrestling Championship in Singapore in January 2025, with high hopes of securing multiple medals. Casey Barnett, vice-president of the Cambodian Wrestling Federation (CWF), expressed confidence in his team's prospects for success. 

However, he also raised concerns over the challenges they may face at the 33rd SEA Games, which will be held in Thailand later that year.

Barnett highlighted the past success of Team Cambodia at the 2023 SEA Games, where they claimed a remarkable 5 gold, 4 silver, and 11 bronze medals across 30 weight divisions. 

This success was made possible in part by Cambodia's host nation advantage, as they had the opportunity to compete in 10 men's weight categories, 10 women's weight categories, and 10 Greco-Roman weight divisions. Singapore, which also performed well, won 1 gold, 3 silver, and 5 bronzes at the same event.

However, with Thailand set to host the 2025 SEA Games, Barnett expressed concern that the number of weight divisions could be significantly reduced. While the 2023 SEA Games featured 30 divisions in total, the Thai hosts are reportedly planning to cut this figure down to just 9, with just 3 in men’s wrestling, 3 in women’s and 3 in Greco-Roman wrestling. This reduction will likely limit Cambodia’s ability to secure as many medals, as fewer categories mean fewer opportunities for athletes to shine.

Barnett, who also serves as president of the Asian Wrestling Federation (AWF), shared his disappointment over the decision, pointing out that, typically, wrestling competitions feature 10 weight divisions per discipline, adding up to 30 divisions across the three types of wrestling.

“The reduction to just 9 divisions drastically reduces our chances of winning medals," he said.

“This decision also impacts other countries, which will now face the same challenge of competing in fewer categories,” he added.

The cutback in weight classes is still not fully explained, and Barnett mentioned that the CWF is actively engaging in discussions with the games’ organising committee to address these concerns.

“As the host, Thailand has significant influence over the final decisions," Barnett acknowledged. "But we are hopeful that the matter will be revisited to ensure fair competition for all participating countries."

He shared his comments as he participated in the October 16 closing ceremony of an Olympic solidarity workshop which focused on the development of national wrestling systems, held at the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC). 

The workshop, attended by 25 wrestlers and coaches, aimed to improve technical skills and promote effective training practices in preparation for international competition.

Barnett expressed his hopes that the attendees, who trained under international expert Martin Hauck, would return to their home provinces and further spread the knowledge gained during the workshop, thereby raising the level of wrestling across Cambodia. 

The goal, he explained, was to build a stronger foundation for Cambodia's wrestling future, culminating in a successful performance at the 2025 SEA Games and beyond.

The workshop also received praise from NOCC representative Buy Sophorn, who commended the dedication of the athletes and coaches. He emphasised the importance of developing a comprehensive approach to training, which focuses on building new policies for effective competition, creating talent development programmes and improving coaching standards. 

He also outlined plans to strengthen Cambodia’s wrestling system in the lead-up to the 2029 Asian Youth Games, which will be held in Cambodia.

As the 2025 SEA Games approach, all eyes will be on how the Cambodian wrestling team adapts to the changing competitive landscape. Despite the challenges ahead, the hope is that through innovation in training and development, they will continue to push the boundaries and secure success for their country.