The Khmer Warrior Conquers Singapore: Sam Tharoth, Heroine of Kun Lbokator in Full Renaissance

In the city-state of Singapore, on November 27, 2025, Sam Tharoth, Cambodian icon of martial arts, reached a new peak by winning the prestigious Women of the Future (WOF) Sports Award, Sport category, sponsored by WorldPay.

This victory, arriving exactly on the third anniversary of Kun Lbokator's inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on November 29, 2022, symbolizes the resilience of a nation and a warrior. Nicknamed Little Frog, Tharoth embodies the indomitable spirit of Cambodia, merging ancient combat and global radiance with fierce grace.

Sam Tharoth's heroic journey: from refugee camps to Hollywood spotlights

Born in the shadow of refugee camps on the Cambodia-Thailand border, Sam Tharoth grew up to the sound of her father Oum Dara's violin, a Khmer composer and musician. She embraced martial arts at 18, initiated into Kun Lbokator by masters like San Kim Sean and Chan Reach Kun Khmer. This millenary style, engraved on Angkor's bas-reliefs, became her weapon against gender stereotypes and family mockery.

Her journey is a great adventure of courage: from shy apprentice to professional fighter, she chains victories and setbacks with iron determination.

Professionally, her MMA record impresses: 4 wins (all submissions, including armbars and rear-naked chokes) against 2 losses in 6 fights, facing Thai and Filipino opponents in the ONE Championship and Full Metal Dojo. She has endured knockouts, loss of consciousness in the arena, but always bounces back, carrying the Khmer flag in Thailand and the Philippines.

Beyond the ring, Tharoth excels in cinema: roles as a child soldier in First They Killed My Father by Angelina Jolie (2017), action woman in Jailbreak, extra in Jennifer Lopez's Shotgun Wedding (2022), and recently The Lockdown (2024), where she plays a champion. This multidisciplinary trajectory—martial arts, cinema, cultural promotion—propels her as a global ambassador, using her fame to break glass ceilings and inspire young Khmers.

At the WOF ceremony, moved to tears, she declares:

"Tonight, I stand on the Women of the Future stage as a fighter, dreamer, and Asian woman proud of Cambodia. This trophy belongs to all who believed in me, and to all the women here: if I did it, you can too!"

The judges praise her resilience facing gender harassment, her dreams of a theater school for women, and her preservation of Kun Lbokator. Accompanied by British ambassador Dominic Williams, she contributes to the Cambodian quadruple win at WOF, proving the vitality of Khmer women.

Kun Lbokator: Ancestral heritage and national celebrations

Kun Lbokator, a martial art dating back to the 1st century, is reborn from the ashes post-Khmer Rouge. Inscribed to UNESCO in 2022 after a candidacy started in 2008, it teaches physical strength, mental discipline, and protection of communities and the environment through ritual dances, music, and traditional medicine.

To mark the third anniversary, Cambodia unveils an illustration honoring Tharoth, Grandmaster San Kim Sean, and other athletes, highlighting their efforts for its global promotion. Tharoth, as a leader, animates workshops and competitions, linking Angkor's past to an inclusive future.

This art sparks regional debates, notably with Thailand about its origins, but strengthens Khmer identity, practiced during offerings to deities and festivals. Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture annually celebrates this heritage, calling on every citizen to safeguard it.

Impact and horizons: A global inspiration

Sam Tharoth does not fight alone: she paves the way for sports inclusion, dreams of a female acting academy, and perseveres in rings despite injuries. Her ASEAN award, among eleven laureates, elevates Cambodia—a land of resilience where martial arts and cinema merge to heal historical wounds. Her odyssey, marked by each medal and role, whispers to the young: strength comes from the Khmer heart.

Today, in her thirties, the Little Frog jumps higher, carrying Kun Lbokator toward new heights. Cambodia proudly watches its prodigal daughter illuminate Asia.