The event of the Hope International Open Taekwondo Championships 2026 officially opened at the Bu Yong Hall of the National Olympic Stadium on Friday morning, January 9, 2026.
The opening ceremony was presided over by H.E. Vath Chamroeun, Secretary of State, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and resenting to H.E. Dr. Professor Hang Chuon Naron, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, and President of the Cambodia Taekwondo Federation, and H.E. Kim Chang Yong, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea in the Kingdom of Cambodia.
This major youth event, there are 560 athletes from 42 clubs. Including, 4 Myanmar clubs, 1 Singapore club, 1 Vietnam club, 1 Malaysia club, 1 South Korea club and 34 Cambodia clubs, which competing in a total of 206 disciplines.
According to the report from Mr. Yiv Vandy, Chief of the Competition Organizing Committee stated that, this event focuses on grassroots youth who starting from 5 years old to over 18 years old, which is a good opportunity for Cambodia to hone and strengthen the resources towards hosting the Asian Youth Games in 2031.
At the same time, H.E. Vath Chamroeun said that, this event is not only a competition but also to change techniques, knowledge and cooperation in the region, as well as to strengthen the capacity of youth to prepare for other events, especially the Asian Youth Games in 2031. Taking this opportunity, H.E. Vath Chamroeun also thanked to the Korean Embassy in Cambodia that always support continuously and valuable cooperation in the development of taekwondo in Cambodia.
Meanwhile, H.E. Kim Chang Yong, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea in Cambodia, said that this first international competition is the result of 10 years of efforts to establish an inter-club competition in Cambodia since 2015 to the present to find the best players in Cambodia and participate in the international competitions. His Excellency hopes that, the opening of a new page of the event of the first Hope International Open Taekwondo Championship will become another new opportunity to cultivate youth resources to continue preparing for the 2031 Asian Youth Games in Cambodia.
