Gold for national team athletes
[NATIONAL GAMES] National team athletes ruled the opening day of the athletics competition at the National Games at the Suphan Buri Main Stadium yesterday, with Sitthichai Suwornpratheep and Juthamas Thavorncharoen retaining their 100-metre crowns.
Rain in the afternoon disrupted the track and field competition, but the main events such as the 100m and 400m were held ahead of the rain. Sitthichai, 25, from Samut Prakarn, crossed the line in 10.36 seconds, relegating SEA Games 100m champion Watchara Sondee of Ayutthaya into second place. The Asian record for the time is 10 seconds. In the women's 100m, reigning champion Juthamas of Songkhla won in 11.89secs, well outside the Asian record of 10.79secs. Suphan Buri's Orranut Klomdee was second, only 0.01secs behind. Buaban Phamang remains the best javelin thrower in Thailand, but the 23-year-old from Chiang Rai was below par yesterday and well outside her best when she won the gold medal. The men's javelin was won by Thanong Petchthong of Phatthalung. Weeraphan Anantachai of Bangkok defended his 20,000m walkathlon crown, while high jumper Chokechai Jirasukrugee from Nakhon Ratchasima retained his title. In the 400m, Lop Buri's national team sprinter Banjong Lachua and Bangkok's Kanya Hanthong won the men's and women's crowns respectively. Meanwhile, the powerful Thongyim Boonpitak, a national team weightlifter, made a clean sweep for the host province yesterday. Competing in the women's 48kg event, Thongyim yesterday took advantage of the absence of two star lifters - Thip-amorn Phupruem and Aree Wiratthavorn - to win three gold medals. Sukhothai's Niwat Kritpetch followed suit and won three gold in the men's under-62kg division. Songkhla's Marobee Jehtae, the record-holder in the men's 56kg event, won two gold yesterday. However, he had to settle for the silver medal in the snatch, his pet event. The event was won by Bangkok's Somchai Loiluen. Four gold medals were contested in taekwondo yesterday with Angthong winning both welterweight division gold. The remaining two gold were won by Bangkok's Voravimol Puangpee in the women's flyweight and Nonthaburi's Wasawat Somsawaeng in the men's flyweight events. Nakhon Ratchasima won the sepak takraw men's regu gold, while Ubon Ratchathani took the women's title. Prachinburi and Singburi shared one gold apiece in the mountain bike competition. A total of 48 gold medals are up for grabs today.
Preechachan Wiriyanupappong The Nation Suphan Buri
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