The Thai squad will be spearheaded by Yaowapa Boorapholchai, Patiwat Thongsalap and Rapatkorn Prasopsuk, all gold medallists at the recent World Cup.

The Taekwondo Association of Thailand (Tat) will send a strong team of 10, five men and five women, to this year's Asian Games.

Admiral Suravudh Maharom, chairman of the Thailand Asian Games Athletes Preparatory Committee, predicted the team would win four medals, including two gold and one silver, in Doha, but TAT officials have high hopes of returning with two gold or more.

"We [the TAT] have slim hopes of winning two gold in Doha," said TAT secretary-general Pimol Srivikorn.

"However, judging from their superb form in several major competitions, including the World University Games and the World Cup, I'm convinced that our squad stand a chance of winning more than two gold.

"Our squad has competed against their Asian Games rivals at several world-class tournaments, including fighters from South Korea, China, Taiwan and Iran. Whether they can repeat their feat depends upon their dedication and hard work in training plus their luck in the draw and form on the competition day," he added.

The odds-on favourites to win medals are finweight Yaowapa, lightweight Patiwat Thongsalap and heavyweight Rapatkorn Prasopsuk.

Yaowapa made headlines after winning a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games and last year she won a silver medal at the World University Games.

Yaowapa defeated China's Wu Jinyu, the gold medallist at the University Games, to win the Asian crown last April and repeated the feat over her rival to win the World Cup title last September.

Wu will be looking for revenge over Yaowapa for her two losses and remains her biggest challenge at the Doha Games.

Rapatkorn Prasopsuk is also one of Thailand's gold medal prospects. The 19-year-old lightweight from Nakhon Pathom has won a gold medal at three major meets - last year's SEA Games in Manila, this year's Asian Championships and the World Cup.

Tough challenges are expected from China's Luo Wei, who Rapatkorn beat in the Asian meet, South Korean Jung Yoon Jan, who lost to the Thai in the final of the World Cup, and Jordanian Nadin Dawani, a silver medallist at the World Junior Championships.

Another gold medal prospect is Patiwat Thongsalap, who won Thailand lone gold medal at last year's World University Games. He also won a gold medal at this year's World Cup.

However, he crashed out in the first round of the Asian meet last April. Also, a Herculean task awaits him in Doha with top-class competitors Iranian Alireza Nasr Azadani, Korean Se Yong Jang and China's Li Tengfei standing in his way.

Also expected to do well for Thailand is men's featherweight Chanata Thanaroekchai, a gold medallist at the SEA Games and a silver medallist at the World Cup, women's featherweight Chonnapas Premwaew, who won silver at the previous Asian Games, and men's bantamweight Nacha Panthong, who won a gold medal at this year's World University Taekwondo Championships.

The Thai taekwondo contingent will leave for Doha on December 4, while the Asian Games taekwondo competition will kick off three days later. Yaowapa, Patiwat, Wasawat Somsawaeng and Watcharaporn Dongnoi will be the first Thais in battle on December 7.

Preechachan Wiriyanupappong

The Nation