Thailand secure first gold at Hanoi

The thirty first SEA Video games in Vietnam formally begin on Thursday as Thailand purpose to win 112 gold medals.

The Kingdom obtained their first gold on Wednesday with success in pencak silat.

Sobri Cheni, Abdulkarim Koolee and Abdulrahim Sidek surprised Indonesia, the birthplace of the martial artwork, within the closing of the lads’s seni (creative) regu (staff/trio).

The Thais scored 9.960 factors and the Indonesians 9.945.

The Thai athletes mentioned they’d educated collectively for a couple of yr.

“We’re proud to win gold. We didn’t assume we’d win gold. Earlier than coming right here, we solely thought we’d win a medal,” mentioned Sobri.

“It is arduous to defeat Indonesia, who’re our inspiration, however we did it. We’re so joyful and excited to beat Indonesia.”

At the moment’s opening ceremony of the biennial occasion, which was initially scheduled for late final yr, will happen in Hanoi.

Jiu-jitsu fighter Suwijak Kuntong will carry the Thai flag on the occasion.

The Video games, that are being held in Hanoi and 11 close by northern provinces, had been delayed for six months as a result of Covid-19 pandemic.

With solely 11 member nations, there are 40 sports activities providing 527 gold medals on the Vietnam Video games which finish on Might 23.

The sports activities embrace Olympic occasions comparable to athletics, swimming, boxing and soccer in addition to regional ones like sepak takraw and pencak silat.

There are additionally a number of martial arts together with Muay Thai, kickboxing, vovinam, kurash and jiu-jitsu.

Xiangqi, or Chinese language chess which is wildly common within the host nation, will make its SEA Video games debut.

Thailand have been probably the most profitable nation within the event, with 13 general crowns for the reason that occasion was launched because the Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Video games in 1959.

Nevertheless, the Thais have failed to complete prime within the medal standings within the earlier two Video games.

The Thais had been third general with 92 golds on the 2019 version within the Philippines.

Host nations usually embrace sports activities during which they carry out effectively in an try to win as many gold medals as attainable, resulting in criticism that it detracts from the status of the competitors.

Thailand have voiced opposition to this they usually once more complain about this apply.

Thailand are sending 189 athletes to Vietnam and the Sports activities Authority of Thailand (SAT) goals for the squad to win 112 gold medals.

‘Worldwide sports activities’

SAT governor Gongsak Yodmani mentioned the quantity must be adequate for Thailand to complete second general behind Vietnam.

To make issues difficult, Gongsak added that his company targets the Thais to win 72 gold medals in “worldwide sports activities”.

“We have to be the general champions in worldwide sports activities on the thirty first SEA Video games,” Gongsak mentioned.

In accordance with the SAT’s Elite Sports activities Growth Division, there are 22 worldwide sports activities on the Vietnam Video games together with swimming, athletics, boxing, biking, soccer, weightlifting, golf, taekwondo, rowing, tennis, taking pictures and triathlon.

These worldwide sports activities supply 350 gold medals whereas there are 177 golds up for grabs in what the SAT calls “common sports activities.”

Gongsak mentioned the SEA Video games must be a venue for younger athletes to hone their expertise to turn into adequate for the Asian Video games and the Olympics.

“We must always deal with which nations will likely be higher in worldwide sports activities,” he mentioned.

He mentioned host nations usually add many “regional sports activities” to the SEA Video games programme and referred to as on future hosts to deal with organising worldwide sports activities.

A number of nations agree with the thought and vow to make the Video games extra attention-grabbing, in line with the SAT boss.

“Once we host the Video games in 2025, I can guarantee you that we are going to primarily organise worldwide sports activities that are occasions on the Asian Video games and the Olympics,” he mentioned.

Thailand purpose to win 12 gold medals in athletics, 10 in taking pictures and skeet, eight in rowing, 5 in boxing, 5 in sepak takraw, 5 in Muay Thai, 4 in soccer and futsal, three in taekwondo and three in dance sport, amongst others.

Amongst Thailand’s greatest hopes are 2020 Olympic taekwondo champion Panipak Wongpattanakit, Tokyo Video games boxing bronze medallist Sudaporn Seesondee, 2016 Olympic weightlifting champion Sanikun (previously Sopita) Tanasarn, teenage golf sensation Ratchanon Chantananuwat, and 16-year-old sprinter Puripol Boonson.

Chaba Kaew win

The Thai ladies’s soccer staff obtained off to a successful begin of their bid to reclaim gold, beating Singapore 3-0 in Group B on Tuesday evening.

Objectives within the first 21 minutes from Kanyanat Chetthabut, Nutwadee Pram-Nak and Chatchawan Rodthong completed off the Singaporeans. The Chaba Kaew subsequent meet Myanmar tomorrow.