Sihanoukville’s 11th International Half Marathon has made history, attracting an incredible 15,000 runners to become the largest iteration of the event in ten years. The dramatic rise in attendance is expected to supercharge coastal tourism and put Preah Sihanouk province firmly on the international sports tourism map.

The overwhelming turnout caught organizers by surprise. Expecting roughly 2,500 participants based on previous years, officials had estimated it would take three to five years just to reach the 10,000 threshold. Instead, the March 22 race blew past those forecasts, uniting runners from 41 nations.

The short-distance categories proved to be a massive hit, with thousands of students and local workers packing the 3km, 5km, and 10km fun runs, while the demanding 21km half marathon maintained a competitive field of a few hundred runners.

Vath Chamroeun, Secretary-General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), noted that the overwhelming response was largely driven by a newly designed, scenic 20km coastal route that offered participants an unparalleled running experience right alongside the sea.