Cambodian marathoner running through poverty

By Ek Madra

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia's Hem Bunting is certain his rivals' preparations for the Beijing Olympics marathon would have been a lot different to his.

Unlike his fellow athletes, Bunting has no coach or sponsor and trains on the busy potholed streets of the impoverished nation's capital Phnom Penh.

He accepts he has to do it all by himself.

"I have been mostly training alone," Bunting told Reuters after a hazardous jog dodging potholes and motorcycles.

"I sometimes can't find a good place to practice because our national stadium is always being used by footballers.

"I've been doing this four years, but I do it because I love to run," added Bunting, whose best time is 24 minutes shy of the marathon world record.

Born to a peasant family in a remote province of northeastern Cambodia 23 years ago, Bunting is one of only four athletes representing the war-scarred Southeast Asian nation in Beijing.

He lives off just $30 a month and the $10 running shoes which helped him win two Southeast Asian Games medals last year have seen better days.