PHNOM PENH: In the shadows of Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium, the clinking of metal and whipping of dust fills the air above the rumbling of peak hour traffic.
On rocky courts, a pastime more associated with long-gone colonial times is in full flight. Dozens of locals are playing petanque, a simple ball game first brought here by the French.
And in Cambodia it is fast becoming a serious sport.
In the midst of an impressive rise by Cambodian players on the international stage, more and more hopefuls – men and women, young and old – are picking up boules.
The aim of petanque is to get your ball closest to the jack.
Somay Sokea, the general secretary of the Federation de boules et de Petanque du Cambodge has witnessed this rise, particularly over the past four years. He says new local players have been inspired by successes at the highest level of the sport, a rarity for the country.
“Before, not that many people cared about petanque but after 2013 we got a gold medal in France, and in 2015 the gold from Thailand and right now from Madagascar. So now it’s more popular,” he said, referring to recent victories at Petanque World Championships.
At local competitions in 2016, Somay explains that the number of players participating roughly doubled to 400 from previous years: Proof, he says, of the interest in petanque that is growing in Cambodia.
At courts in Phnom Penh, national players hone their skills alongside casual pick-up players. It is open and collaborative but there are clear divides about who can play where.
Players competing for national selection known as “celebrities”, including those as young as 13 years old, have their playing zones, while government officials and political elite have theirs too, separate from free public courts.
For years in fact, petanque has been part of the fabric of political life in the kingdom, with several ministries setting up their own private playing courts. It has also traditionally been played in rural villagers and the countryside.
In Phnom Penh, national players compete alongside the general public.
The simple nature of the game, which requires players to throw or roll metal balls as close as possible to a smaller “jack” ball from a set circle, has always made it accessible. Increasing support from the government to include petanque in school curriculums is ensuring it is less exclusive too.
And the rewards are high for those who can excel.
Heang Vichneany is one of the junior “celebrities” pushing for a spot on the national team. She is just 14, a soft spoken but confident girl who is already earning hundreds of dollars a month for her athletic craft. Junior players normally train six days a week, alongside their school commitments, 12 months a year, which is even more than their adult counterparts are required to do.
Heang Vichneany has long-term ambitions in the sport and is supported by the government.
“There was a petanque playground in front of my house so that I could play and then my parents brought me to Petanque club,” she explains. Her favourite part of playing is meeting new friends but she has more serious long-term aspirations – a medal at the 2023 SEA Games.
Nhem Bora has already made it to the big stage. Donning a shirt proudly boasting the Cambodian flag, the 32-year-old from Kampong Cham is eyeing success this year in at least one of four major tournaments, starting with one in Belgium in April.
“In the beginning I had an uncle. He is quite old now, and he likes playing Petanque. I saw he played so I wanted to play too,” he said, shortly after showing off some of the strategy, aggression and nuances required to succeed in the sport.
Petanque requires little equipment to get started.
“At first when I started learning to play, I didn’t know how. But after many times I started to like it and as soon as I liked it, I started to get training. Now I train up to 6 hours per day.”
While the younger generation do not necessarily understand the origins of the sport in their country, it is their older relatives who have often inspired them to try the sport.
Meantime the “masters” of petanque are enjoying it more than ever – not for prize money or prestige but rather for the health benefits.
“Our energy does not allow us to do sports that require running or jumping like young people,” said Eng Sovann, 59, a game veteran of more than two decades but far from the oldest on the courts.
“We do not set the timeline for how long we are going to play. Importantly, if we have energy to play we will keep playing.”
As the crowd grows as dusk falls in the city, it is clear there are many in Phnom Penh that share the sentiment.