Thai spikers complete gold double

Thai spikers complete gold double

Women's team claim 11th successive title

Somruedee Pruepruk, No.4, hits a shot against Vietnam in the women’s doubles.
Somruedee Pruepruk, No.4, hits a shot against Vietnam in the women’s doubles.

Kuala Lumpur: Thailand completed a golden double in SEA Games volleyball after both the women and men's teams won in the finals on Sunday.

The women's team defeated Indonesia 3-0 (25-18, 26-24, 26-24), while the men's squad also beat the same country 3-1 (25-16, 25-22, 20-25, 25-20).

With the triumphs, the Thais continued their dominance in the sport.

It is the Thai women's 11th consecutive -- and 13th overall -- title at the biennial event.

The Thai men have now claimed the crown four times in a row.

In the women's event, the Thais didn't drop a set on their way to winning the title at the biennial tournament.

Taekwondo champion Benjarat Yangtrakul.

Indonesia, who also lost to Thailand 3-0 in the group match, put up a much stronger fight in the gold medal match yesterday but the Thais were still a class above when it came to decisive moments.

Nootsara Tomkom, Hattaya Bamrungsuk, Chatchu-on Moksri, Pimpichaya Kokram, Ajcharaporn Kongyot and Piyanut Pannoy were in the starting line-up for Thailand as coach Danai Sriwacharamaytakul made his intentions clear.

Thailand finished as runners-up to Japan at the Asian Women's Championship in the Philippines last week.

Judoka Masayuki Terada reacts after winning the men’s 81kg title.

In the men's competition, Jirayu Raksakaew put on an excellent performance in his last match for the national team to lead the Thais to the title.

Thailand dropped a set for the first time but were still able to match their female counterparts after beating Indonesia, who finished fourth in the Asian Championships held on their home soil early this month.

In sepak takraw, the Thai team of Somruedee Pruepruk, Masaya Duangsri and Nisa Thanaattawut beat Vietnam 2-1 to win gold in the women's doubles.

In judo, Japanese-Thai Masayuki Terada was crowned champion in the men's 81kg class.

In sailing, Suthita Poonpat and Kanyaporn Buengbon took the title in the women's 420 event.

In taekwondo, Benjarat Yangtrakul beat Pham Thi Thu Hien of Vietnam 10-9 to win the women's 57kg gold.

In wakeboard, Thailand, led by men's open champion Padiwat Jaemjan, were champions in the mixed team event.

Sailors Suthita Poonpat, right, and Kanyaporn Buengbon after claiming the 420 title.

Meanwhile, Thailand suffered a setback as they failed to meet their two-gold target in the six-event cue sports competition.

Thai veteran Phaithoon Phonbun was shocked 4-1 by Laos' Siththideth Sakbieng in the snooker singles final yesterday.

Thailand's only gold of the competition was delivered by the pair of Praprut Chaithanasakun and Thawat Sujaritthurakarn, who defeated Myanmar's Aung Htay and Min Si Thu Tun in the English billiards title showdown.

Malaysian diving queen Cheong Jun Hoong braved a back injury to claim gold.

Cheong, who upset Chinese opposition to win Malaysia's first diving world title in July, scored 268.55 points for victory yesterday in the 1m springboard category.

The swimming tournament ended on Saturday with Singapore's Olympic champion Joseph Schooling taking home six gold medals.

Vietnam's "Little Mermaid" Nguyen Thi Anh Vien was the most decorated swimmer with eight gold medals.

She won her last title in the women's 200m freestyle, clocking a Games record of 1:59.24min.

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