Gold for Wassana as Thais rule last day on the track

Today's Sports News - Wednesday December 12, 2007

SEA GAMES / ROUND-UP

Gold for Wassana as Thais rule last day on the track

TOR CHITTINAND KITTIPONG THONGSOMBAT

Nakhon Ratchasima _ Thailand topped the athletics medals standings yesterday and are proving unstoppable in the overall race to be crowned SEA Games champions.

The kingdom claimed four golds on the last day of track-and-field with Wassana Winatho winning the heptathlon with a Games record of 5,889 points to secure a berth for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

That broke her own Games record of 5,547 points set at the 1999 Brunei SEA Games.

Wassana, who also won the 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay at the Korat Games, said she was delighted to have overcome bad health at the beginning the month as well as knee surgery undertaken earlier this year.

''I'm tired after this event but I'm really happy to have qualified for the Olympics,'' she said.

''I have to thank my Russian coach. After the Games, I will try to have my hands healed to get a good result at the Olympics.''

The hosts had 19 wins yesterday pushing their gold medal tally to 97. Vietnam are a distant second with 46 golds while Singapore rest in third with 37 golds.

In athletics, Thailand finished on top of the charts with 17 titles.

Thitima Muangjan took the women's triple jump with a new Games record of 13.85m breaking the previous mark of 13.61 set by Malaysia's Sin Mei Ngew two years ago.

The former record holder came in second with a jump of 13.75 and Vietnam's Thuong Dao Thi Hoai took the bronze with 12.39.

''I did not expect to win gold because the Malaysian was very good,'' Thitima said.

Saowalee Kaewchuy came home to win the women's 400m but in the men's race, the Philippines' Julius Felicisimo Nierras Jr edged out Thailand's Jukkatip Pojaroen.

Saowalee crossed the in 54.75 seconds to beat Burma's Lai Lai Win who clocked 55.10. Kunya Harnthong, another Thai, took the bronze in 55.41.

Sanya Buathong won the men's javelin with a throw of 68.65m. Filipino Danilo Fresnido took the silver medal (68.14) and Nontach Palunupat took the bronze (67.76).

Indonesia's Suryo Agung Wibowo won the men's 200m to add to his 100m victory, and Vietnam's Thi Huong Vu won the women's 200m to make it a sprint double following her 100m success.

In the men's 200m, Thailand's Sittichai Suwonprateep crossed the line in 20.84 seconds for silver with Wibowo clocking 20.76. In the women's 200m, Orranut Klomdee came in second in 23.74 seconds behind Vu who time 23.47.

In the men's 1,500m, Dinh Cuong Nguyen of Vietnam set a new Games mark, holding off Malaysia's Vadivellan Mahendran down the home straight to win in 3:45.31 minutes.

Boonthung Srisung, who won the 10,000m, could only win the bronze in 3:52.40.

Indonesia's Triyaningsih won the women's 10,000m to add to her 5,000m gold. Singapore's Zhang Guirong took the women's shot put gold beating Thailand's Juthaporn Krasaeyan.

Thai bodybuilders won two golds from former world champion Sitthi Charoenrith (men's 80kg division) and Apiporn Chomsomboon (women's fitness).

Thailand upset defending champions Vietnam 25-20 in the women's final for their first-ever handball gold.

On the last day of swimming, the hosts managed to take only one bronze in six events from Natnapa Pommuenwai in the women's 50m freestyle. Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines each took two gold medals.

Out of 32 golds up for grabs, Thailand claimed five as well as seven silvers and eight bronzes _ one gold less than target of six.

Singapore ruled the pool with 11 golds, nine silver and six bronzes.

On the last day of fencing, Thailand led by Wiradech Kothny clinched the gold in the men's sabre team _ the fencing team's fifth of the tournament.

In rugby, Thailand also bagged two golds with the men beating the Philippines 28-14 and the women defeating Singapore 19-5.

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MEDALS TALLY

G S B TT

Thailand 97 86 71 254

Vietnam 46 29 54 129

Singapore 37 30 29 96

Malaysia 31 29 57 117

Philippines 29 40 60 129

Indonesia 25 34 50 109

Burma 4 15 25 44

Laos 4 1 22 27

Cambodia 2 3 6 11

Brunei 0 1 2 3

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