a runaway hit

a runaway hit
Hosts retain athletics title with 17 gold

Published on December 12, 2007


Thai athletes left the main stadium with a blaze of glory and a total of 17 gold medals to retain their overall SEA Games crown, with terrific Wassana Winatho not only winning the heptathlon gold with a new Games record, but also booking a berth to next year's Beijing Olympic Games.

The host nation added four more golds to its tally of 13 for a five-day haul of 17, surpassing the initial target of 13 golds set by the Athletic Association of Thailand and the possible 15 golds predicted by the 24th SEA Games Thai Athletes Evaluation Committee.

Wassana Winatho , the 27-year-old from Kanchanaburi, already clinched two gold medals from the women's 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay events. She took part in the heptathlon with the aim of making it a hat-trick in the Games as she did in Kuala Lumpur in 2001.

Despite being unfit - suffering from allergies brought on by the weather - Wassana defied all odds. With a lead of 5,022 points after six events already guaranteeing her a gold in the seven-sport competition, Wassana needed a run of under 2.18 minutes for the 800m to qualify for the Beijing Games.

She completed the two-lap run with an impressive time of 2.16.85 minutes to win the gold and secure a place in Beijing. A few seconds after she crossed the line, Wassana collapsed and was carried out of the stadium.

To win the gold, Wassana set a new Games standard of 5,889 points, eclipsing her previous record of 5,547 established in Brunei eight years ago. The two-time consecutive champion Nguyen Cuc Thi Thu finished second with 5,259 points and Filipina Narcisa Atienza came third with 5,093 points.

"It is a dream come true. This is my third gold in the 24th SEA Games. Above all, I have a chance to compete in the Olympics. That's the only target all athletes dream to accomplish once in their lifetime," a delighted Wassana said.

Meanwhile, after having taken part in the SEA Games for four consecutive times, Thitima Muangjan from Amnat Charoen won the women's triple jump event with a record-shattering 13.85m leap, relegating reigning champion Ngew Sin Mei from Singapore to second. Vietnamese Thuong Dao Thi Hoai picked up bronze with 12.39m jump.

Sanya Buathong handed Thailand the third gold of the day in the men's javelin throw after throwing 68.65m to dethrone defending two-time champion Danilo Fresnido from the Philippines, who threw 68.14m. Another Thai, Nontach Palanupat took third place with a throw of 67.76m.

The hosts' last gold on the track came from the small-built Saowalee Kaewchuy in the women's 400m with a time of 54.75 seconds. Burmese Win Lai Lai and Thai Kunya Harnthong finished second and third in 55.11 and 55.41.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Wibowo Suryo Agung made a double sprint yesterday. The 100m winner stunned title-holder Sittichai Suwonprateep of Thailand in the men's 200m. Wibowo clocked the fastest time in 20.76 seconds, while Sittichai was timed at 20.84.

In the women's event, Vietnamese Vu Thi Huong stormed home first in 23.47 seconds, with Thai Orranut Komdee in second in 23.74 and reigning champ Burmese Lwin kay Khine third in 23.85.

Singaporean Zhang Guirong defended her shot put crown, with Juthaporn Krasaeyan and Siwaporn Warapiang giving Thailand a two-three finish. Malaysian Samsu Roslinda took the women's pole vault, while team-mate Lee Hup Wei captured the men's high jump.

The men's 1,500m gold with a record 3:45.31 minutes went to Vietnamese Nguyen Dinh Cuong, with the 5,000m champion Triyaningsih from Indonesia taking the women's 10,000m crown and Filipino Nierras Julius Felicismo the men's 400m title.

Preechachan Wiriyanupappong

The Nation

Nakhon Ratchasima