As the esports section of the 32nd SEA Games comes to an end, Cambodia secures one final gold medal to push them up in the overall tally.
For a second year running at the Southeast Asia Games, PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds Mobile (PUBG M) has taken the stage, with 19 teams in total participating in the team event. While Indonesia claimed another gold medal in that, the individual event closed out things for esports at the 32nd SEA Games, with the defending champion part of the 59-player pool which entered the tournament. With players from 10 of the 11 participating countries involved, the final event saw a stunning culmination as Cambodian Tra “SkyNin” Chhany claimed the gold medal.
With Indonesia finishing in second, Vietnam in third, and the Philippines in fourth, the tournament showcased some brilliant individual talent as the players wracked up the final esports medals for their regions. Now that the esports side of the 32nd SEA Games is at an end, the final medal tally for the top 4 is:
- Indonesia – 3 gold, 2 silver
- Cambodia – 3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
- Philippines – 2 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze
- Vietnam – 1 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze
One of the most interesting facts from this iteration of the SEA Games is that we saw a total of 9 of the 11 participating countries winning medals, with Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar all achieving their first-ever esports medals at the event. With this being only the third time in which esports has been on show at the SEA Games, we can expect to see much more action in the future, as the industry continues to grow in the region. With six games featured this year, plus the bronze medal adjustment for both third and fourth place, it will be interesting to see what the next SEA Games has in store.
Mr. Do Viet Hung, Deputy Head of the Organising Committee for Esports at the 32nd SEA Games and Secretary General of the Vietnam Esports and Entertainment Association (VIRESA) had the following to say about the success of esports at the event:
At the competition venues, we were pleasantly surprised by the frequent sold-out situations. The stands were almost always packed with cheers and support. Social media platforms also recorded a massive online viewership, even surpassing previous records.”
Read more: Women’s MLBB breaks records at the 32nd SEA Games
As we already know, the Women’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang event made history this year at the SEA Games, gaining a viewership of over 1,300,000 at its peak – shattering the previous record. With Thailand as the next destination for the SEA Games’ 33rd iteration, we are sure to see even more records surpassed and even more excitement.
