PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AFP) — The Southeast Asian Games begin in Phnom Penh on Friday with the Cambodian capital welcoming thousands of athletes from the region.

AFP Sport picks out some of the stars hoping to light up the event.

Vanessa Sarno (Philippines)

With Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz skipping Phnom Penh to focus on qualifying for Paris 2024, heir apparent Sarno will carry Philippine weightlifting hopes.

The 19-year-old should be up to the challenge, having won an SEA Games gold last year in Hanoi, where she set a new Games record in the women's 71-kilogram event.

Puripol Boonson (Thailand)

The region's teenage sprint king is also the world's fastest-ever under-18 100-meter runner with a time of 10.09 seconds last year.

He won gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the last SEA Games, while still only 16, but just missed out on a bronze months later at the World Athletics U20 Championships.

Nguyen Thi Oanh (Vietnam)

The 27-year-old runner won three Games golds on home soil last time, in the 1500m, 5000m and 3000m steeplechase.

She will defend all three this time, across two grueling days.

Carlos Yulo (Philippines)

Due to the rules limiting the number of events athletes can compete in, the star gymnast will only take part in four events, on bars and all-around.

The former floor and vault world champion will be confident of adding to his seven gold and seven silver SEA Games medals but may have slight fitness worries.

He pulled out of a meet in Egypt in late April after reportedly suffering an ankle injury during training.