Pursat River Run
5k and 10k road races
The story began in 2007 when a British expat, Steve Harknett, who had been working in Pursat for several years, organised the first Pursat River Run as a leaving present for the town he loved. The event has taken place every year since then (except 2013), and has grown each year from 200 runners to nearly 1,000. In 2008 the event included disabled races for the first time, in collaboration with a local NGO in Pursat, Disability Development Services Programme. The disabled events have been a popular part of the event ever since.
Prize money and trophies have been provided every year, giving motivation and financial incentive which is particularly useful to Pursat's young athletes.
Money raised has been used to buy sports equipment for schools and to organise other athletics events in Pursat. The funds also pay for the winners of the Pursat River Run to compete in the Angkor Marathon in Siem Reap in December.
Here's a look back at the event over the years.
About Us
2007
The Pursat River Run is born
The race started as a very small, local affair with nearly all local, Pursat runners. Local boy Sean Sopheak won the men's 10k and his sister (talented family!) won the women's 5k.
2008
Sport for All!
This year we introduced disabled races, so that the Pursat River Run really was for everybody!
This being an Olympic year, we were honoured to have as Guest of Honour Hem Bunting, Cambodia's champion marathon-runner, who a few months earlier had competed in the Beijing Olympics
2009
The wet one!
The heavens opened at the beginning of the 10k, which kept the runners cool during the picturesque course along the banks of the Pursat River.
Top Cambodian athletes won the men's races - Mok Bunthoeurn in the 10k and Chheng Chandara in the 5k. While Britain's Emily Woodfield won the women's 10k and local Pursat girl Yeut Srey Mao won the women's 5k
2010
New sponsor!
We welcomed Smart Mobile as our official sponsor this year to make the event bigger and better. Thanks guys!
One of Cambodia's finest athletes, Kieng Samorn (who went on to represent Cambodia at the London 2012 Olympics) came home first in the men's 10k, while Belgian Viviane Renard won the honours in the women's race