Cambodian Hem Bunting Renews National Record 2:23:29 at Paris Marathon
>> April 16, 2012
Cambodia's Hem Bunting has made a significant effort in his first Marathon outing of the year after finishing in top 50 (42nd) at the 36th edition of Paris Marathon (15.04.2012) with a fastest time he ever run in his life 2:23:29. The time also improved on his previous national record 2:25:20 set during 2009 SEA Games in Vientiane where he won bronze medal. Not only that, his official intermediate time at half marathon shows 1:09:04, which is a new national record as well.
The race was won by Stanley Kipleting Biwott of Kenya in a time of 2:05:12, followed by Ethopians Raji Assefa (2:06:24) and Sisay Jisa (2:06:27).
The 26-year-old who represented his country at 2007 World championship in athletics won silver medal at 2007 SEA Games at Nakhon Ratchasima, and then bronze medal at the next edition but surprisingly was not in the 2011 SEA Games team although remain unbeaten in Cambodia and has recorded the fastest time at the year.
Bunting's outstanding performance in Paris would certainly gain him an "auto slot" for the Olympic Games, that when it counts the fairness and appropriateness in the selection of athlete in a major event, and of course this apply when there are no other athletes in Cambodia that achieve the required standards of the Olympics.
For a record, his time is the fastest in Southeast Asia so far this year, and even much better than the winning time of 2011 SEA Games (2:27:45).
Watch documentary on Hem Bunting (by Trans World Sport in 2009)
Watch documentary on Hem Bunting (by Trans World Sport in 2009)