Thais scoop up 22 gold.

SEA GAMES

Thais scoop up 22 gold.

Home athletes prove a cut above the rest and keep country well on course to winning the overall crown

Published on December 10, 2007

Thai athletes flexed their muscles against their regional rivals yesterday when they reaped a staggering 22 gold medals to take a near insurmountable lead for the 24th SEA Games crown.

After four days of the biennial sports extravaganza, Thailand retained their lead with a haul of 65 gold, 58 silver and 40 bronze medals, while Vietnam (28-13-39) and Singapore (23-19-14) were in second and third places, respectively. At press time, two more gold medals were due to be awarded in billiards and snooker.

It was one of the busiest Sundays in Nakhon Ratcha-sima. Buses and cars carried athletes and thousands of spectators to His Majesty the King's 80th Birthday Anniversary Stadium, while thousands more milled around to shop for SEA Games souvenirs and search for tickets.

Chasing dreams of retaining the Kingdom's pride lost to the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia in the previous three SEA Games, home dancers were invincible in making a clean sweep of five gold medals at stake, including the Latin-American Jive and Standard Slow Foxtrot. They also won a silver and four bronze medals yesterday.

On the road, Thai cyclists performed to expectations, picking up both gold medals up for grabs in the individual time trial. Prajak Mahawong clinched the men's title and Monrudee Chapookam won the women's event.

Thailand, strengthened by the presence of the experienced Tamarine Tanasugarn and Asian Games winner Danai Udomchoke, grabbed both gold medals in the men's and women's team tennis events.

The tennis court stands, especially when Thailand were playing Indonesia in the women's final, were crowded, with hundreds of spectators on tenterhooks. The women's team encounter became an epic and lasted more than eight hours before the Thai girls emerged as winners over spirited Indonesia.

The Thai sepak takraw teams, cheered on lustily by thousands of fans clad in yellow, powered past their unfancied rivals without much trouble to win both gold medals, with the men's team beating Indonesia 2-1 and the women's side avenging their loss to Vietnam in last year's Doha Asian Games.

Marathon runner Sunisa Sailomyen rejected the attractive prize money of about Bt200,000 in the recent Bangkok Marathon and instead decided to serve her country by attending a training camp with national athletes in preparation for the SEA Games.

Her great determination and devotion bore fruit yesterday when the 31-year-old from Doi Oom Koi made history. She became the first Thai ever to win the SEA Games full marathon for women.

The rowing concluded yesterday with the Thais reigning supreme, and finishing with six gold medals. They claimed three out of five gold medals at stake yesterday, owing the success to the experienced Phuttharaksa Nikree and Bussayamas Pheangkatok.

In fencing, local sabre ace and bronze medallist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics Wiradech Kothny, and Nunta Chantasuvannasin in the women's individual foil, snatched two gold for the host nation, while Vietnam picked up the gold in the men's epee.

Singapore and Thailand shared one gold apiece in artistic gymnastics, with Rartchawat Kaewpanya taking the men's all-round gold, while Malaysia captured the individual dressage gold.

In swimming, thousands of spectators packed the pool in an effort to find tickets, but officials claimed no more tickets were available. They then protested by shouting noisily outside. The officials decided to let them enter free of charge, causing them to jam-pack the arena.

Seven gold medals were up for grabs in the swimming competition yesterday but Tharnnawat Worakiart snatched the lone gold for Thailand after he touched the wall first in the men's 400m freestyle. Singapore ruled the pool with four gold medals, leaving Malaysia to take the remaining two.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese wrestlers proved a cut above their rivals, sweeping all three gold medals on offer on the final day of the competition. Of the nine gold medals at stake in wrestling, Vietnam walked away with six.

Cambodia won its first gold in this year's SEA Games when Chanmean Sok beat Thai Phakin Phukram to win the men's singles petanque. The country also claimed a silver when Thailand's Phantipha Wongchuvej relegated Srey Mom Ouk to second place in the women's singles.

Preechachan Wiriyanupappong

The Nation

Nakhon Ratchasima