Hem Kiry

{{short description|Cambodian swimmer}}

{{family name hatnote|Hem|Kiry|lang=Cambodian}}

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Hem Kiry

| image =

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| caption =

| fullname = Hem Kiry

| nicknames =

| national_team = {{CAM}}

| strokes = Freestyle

| club =

| coach =

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|4|11|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Phnom Penh, PR Kampuchea

| death_date =

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| height = {{convert|1.75|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|80|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}

| medaltemplates =

| show-medals = yes

| updated =

}}

Hem Kiry (born April 11, 1980) is a Cambodian former swimmer, who specialized in sprint freestyle events.{{cite sports-reference|title = Hem Kiry|url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/he/hem-kiry-1.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418004845/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/he/hem-kiry-1.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 18 April 2020|access-date = 8 May 2013}} He is a two-time Olympian (2000 and 2004), and served twice as Cambodia's flag bearer in the opening ceremony.{{cite news|title=Sorn Davin named as Cambodian flagbearer for Olympic Games Opening Ceremony|url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2012072657624/Sport/sorn-davin-named-as-cambodian-flagbearer-for-olympic-games-opening-ceremony.html|publisher=The Phnom Penh Post|date=26 July 2012|access-date=8 May 2013}}{{cite news|title=IOC Latest News: Flag Bearers for the Opening Ceremony|url=http://www.olympic.org/content/news/media-resources/manual-news/1999-2009/2004/08/13/flag-bearers-for-the-opening-ceremony/|publisher=Olympics|date=13 August 2004|access-date=28 April 2013}} He also held a Cambodian record of 26.48 in the 50 m freestyle from the Southeast Asian Games.{{cite news|title=Pool masters look for personal bests|url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/2012080257758/Sport/pool-masters-look-for-pbs.html|publisher=The Phnom Penh Post|date=2 August 2012|access-date=8 May 2013}} Hem is currently working as a swimming coach for the Cambodia national team.

Hem made his official debut at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he competed in the men's 50 m freestyle. Swimming in heat two, he posted a lifetime best of 26.41 to earn a fifth spot and sixty-sixth overall by a 1.08-second margin behind winner Jamie Peterkin of Saint Lucia.{{cite web|title=Sydney 2000: Swimming – Men's 50m Freestyle Heat 2 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2000/Masters/sw/SWresults.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819181023/http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2000/Masters/sw/SWresults.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 August 2011 |work=Sydney 2000 |publisher=LA84 Foundation |page=103 |access-date=28 April 2013 }}

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Hem swam for the second time in the 50 m freestyle. As part of an Olympic Solidarity program, he received a Universality place from FINA in an entry time of 27.56.{{cite web|title=Swimming – Men's 50m Freestyle Startlist (Heat 3)|url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=00010406003E000000FFFFFFFFFFFF00|format=PDF|work=Athens 2004|publisher=Omega Timing|access-date=24 March 2013}} He challenged seven other swimmers in heat three, including 16-year-old Chris Hackel of Mauritius. He edged out Libya's Khaled Ghezzawi to take another fifth spot by six hundredths of a second in 27.49. Hem failed to advance into the semifinals, as he placed seventieth overall out of 86 swimmers in the preliminaries.{{cite web|title=Men's 50m Freestyle Heat 3|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics_2004/swimming/results/3535048.stm|work=Athens 2004|publisher=BBC Sport|date=20 August 2004|access-date=31 January 2013}}{{cite news|last=Thomas |first=Stephen |title=Men's 50 Freestyle Prelims Day 6: Hall Splashes a Hot 22.04, Fastest Qualifier; Lezak Makes This One but Popov, Hoogie Bow Out |url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/7897.asp |publisher=Swimming World Magazine |date=19 August 2004 |access-date=19 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029204025/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/7897.asp |archive-date=29 October 2013 }}

He is a son of Hem Thon (1943–2015), who was also a swimmer.{{cite web|author1=Ouch Sony|author2=George Wright|title=1960s Swimming Great Hem Thon Passes Away at Age 71|url=https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/1960s-swimming-great-hem-thon-passes-away-at-age-71-76055/|website=cambodiadaily.com|publisher=The Cambodia Daily|access-date=11 September 2015|date=14 January 2015}} His siblings, sister Hem Raksmey{{cite web|title=Cambodian Olympians: a Third World Tale|url=http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/SpecialCoverage/Sydney2000/index.asp?dt=20000925&sec=Features&pg=fe_05.htm|website=utusan.com.my|publisher=Utusan|access-date=11 September 2015|date=25 September 2000}} and brother Hem Thon Ponloeu are also swimmers.{{cite web|author1=Prak Chan Thul|title=Cambodia's Swimming Family Ready for Beijing|url=https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/cambodias-swimming-family-ready-for-beijing-62020/|website=cambodiadaily.com|publisher=The Cambodia Daily|access-date=11 September 2015|date=30 May 2008}}