A Cambodian athlete won a special place in the hearts of those who watched her persevere to finish last in the women’s 5,000 meters during a torrential rainfall at the Southeast Asian Games—but in the end, she also ran away with a substantial payday.
The runner, Bou Samnang, broke down in tears shortly after crossing the finish line in the rain on Monday, almost six minutes after the race’s winner. As she finished in a time of 22:54, the crowd—which included representatives of the International Olympic Committee—erupted with cheers and applause for the drenched runner. After the race, she raised her hands in thanks to the spectators at the event and waved a Cambodian flag.
The winner, Nguyen Thi Oanh, of Vietnam, finished the race 5 minutes and 54 seconds earlier, just as the rain intensified.
Samnang was rewarded for her performance in the event, receiving a $250 bonus from Cambodia’s Minister of Information, Khieu Kanharith, according to an official, but that was just the beginning.
Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Sen, said in a statement that he was donating $10,000 to the runner for her tremendous determination.
Parker Valby Wins the Bowerman perseverance. “The interesting story is that runner Bou Samnang ran in the rain until the finishing line although she did not place,” he wrote in a statement. All About 75 Hard Races - Places, who said, “sport is more than winning and losing.”
Samnang’s story is an excellent reminder that sometimes finishing a race is just as important as times or places—and who knows, it could end up really paying off.
Laura Ratliff is a New York City-based writer, editor, and runner. Laura's writing expertise spans numerous topics, ranging from travel and food and drink to reported pieces covering political and human rights issues. She has previously worked at Architectural Digest, Bloomberg News, and A Part of Hearst Digital Media Best Running Shoes 2025 TripSavvy. Like many of us, Laura was bitten by the running bug later in life, after years of claiming to "hate running." Her favorite marathon is Big Sur.
