GRANVILLE, Ohio (May 4, 2023) – Denison University freshman diver, Lu-Si Minnich, will represent the country of Cambodia at the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which will be held from May 5-17, 2023, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. In addition, Denison Head Diving Coach Russ Bertram will accompany Minnich while serving as the Head Diving Coach for Team Cambodia.

"I think this is a fantastic opportunity for Lu-Si and I feel very fortunate to be able to support her in this adventure," said Bertram. "I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to represent my country as a diver and nothing was more exciting and gratifying. It's an experience that will certainly shape who Lu-Si is and what she believes she is capable of. I know that experiences like this are rare and I am very proud of her for taking it on."

The Southeast Asian Games is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games are under the regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with supervision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). In order to participate, all athletes must be entered by their National Olympic Committee.

The diving portion of the SEA Games will take place from May 8-11, and history will be made as Minnich will be the first female diver to represent the country of Cambodia.

"Representing Cambodia on an international stage is an absolute honor and means a lot to me as I have the opportunity to give back to my mother's birth country and wear Cambodia's name as I compete," spoke Minnich. "This opportunity is very meaningful to me as I am not only representing the country of Cambodia, but also my family and friends who survived the horrific Khmer Rouge genocide which took place from 1975-1979. I look forward to competing for them. In addition, I want to inspire Cambodian women and young girls to participate in sports and recognize that they have the power to change the perspective of females in sports in the country."

"It's never easy to be the first, or the first in a very long time, at anything," said Bertram. "Lu-Si's willingness to do this for Cambodia and the Cambodian people is admirable. I think she has the opportunity to make a real difference for young Cambodians and make a difference for the sport of diving in that region of the world."

The diving events for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games are reduced from eight events at the 2021 SEA Games to four events this coming SEA Games in Cambodia. The events to be contested are the 3m springboard (men and women) and the platform (men and women).

"There are so many people who have been a part of this journey to whom I credit so much," concluded Minnich. "I am especially grateful for my family for always supporting and pushing me to be the best version of myself. Also, I am indebted to my Mom, Pou Kiry Hem, and Coach Russ for making this opportunity possible."

Coach Bertram concluded by saying, "I always try to remind divers that having a consistent and reliable routine for competitions is important. Not letting that get altered by the size or scope of the competition, by outside pressures and expectations, is your goal in that competitive moment. Trusting in the work you've done prior to the meet and knowing you've given it your best will give you the courage and focus to maintain your routine – resulting in a great performance. I think enjoying the experience is directly related to that preparation, a consistent routine and a willingness to be flexible. You can't predict everything, but you can be ready to adjust when you need to. Knowing you've done the work and put your all into it can make the experience very enjoyable regardless of the outcome."

Cambodia 2023 Website