Thailand a strong sixth as Asian Games end

Thailand a strong sixth as Asian Games end

INCHEON: The 17th Asian Games ended on Saturday with Thailand bagging 12 gold medals and finishing a strong sixth in the competition.

Spectators pack the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium on Saturday for the closing ceremony of the 17th Asian Games. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

Overall, Thai athletes took home 12 gold, seven silver and 28 bronze medals from the 16-day quadrennial event.

That adds up to 86 million baht in bonuses to be paid out by the government to the country's successful athletes.

Under the National Development Fund's bonus scheme, an Asian Games champion receives 5 million baht, a silver winner 500,000 baht and a bronze medallist 200,000 baht. Coaches and athletic associations of the successful competitors also receive bonuses.

At the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, Thailand finished ninth with 11 gold, nine silver and 32 bronze medals.

Ahead of the Incheon event, the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) predicted 17 golds based on a survey of sports associations, while the National Olympic Committee of Thailand (NOCT) was aiming for at least 11 golds to match the Guangzhou feat.

Korean artists perform during the closing ceremony for the 17th Asian Games in Incheon on Saturday. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

A spectacular ceremony at Incheon's Asiad stadium officially marked the end of a Games that was hailed as a brilliant success and a model for future multi-sports events, despite being tarnished by doping, crime and rows over religious freedom, women's rights and judging.

At a time when Europe and North America are increasingly reluctant to even bid for the biggest sporting events because of the astronomical costs, South Korea pulled it off for around US$2 billion (65 billion baht), a fraction of the $32 billion China spent on the last Asian Games or the $51 billion Russia splurged on this year's Winter Olympics.

And Indonesia, the hosts of the next Asiad in 2018, has already been told that it can do it even cheaper, getting approval to save money by using existing stadiums rather than constructing new ones that invariably turn into white elephants.

It is a trend that the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) hopes will not only safeguard the future of the Asian Games but also help continue the dramatic growth of the event from its humble beginnings to one of the world's mega sporting festivals.

It already has more sports than the summer Olympics and almost as many athletes, drawn from the world's most populated region, and could get even bigger.

The OCA general assembly voted to allow Oceania countries to compete at the next Asian Indoor Games, which could pave the way for countries such as Australia to join the main Asiad in the future.

"The positive signals are from the whole picture. This Asian Games have become like the Olympics," said OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah in his closing address to the media.

"Everyone is smiling and I think everyone was satisfied with the success of the Games. But also, we are keen to reach to be better, and learn lessons for the future."

The future of sport in Asia already looks rosy. After decades when sport's biggest events were mostly split between Europe and North America, the power base has shifted east.

South Korea will host the next Winter Olympics at Pyeongchang in 2018. Two years later, Tokyo will host the summer Olympics, and in 2022, Qatar will host the football World Cup while either China or Kazakhstan will stage the Winter Olympics.

Pornchai Kaokaew (No. 5) is the most decorated sepak takraw player in Asian Games history with eight golds. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

"This is Asia's time," said Sheikh Ahmad.

In Saturday's action, Thai karate competitors Theerapat Kangtong and Tippawan Khamsi both lost in early rounds.

Sepak takraw was still Thailand's most successful sport with a clean sweep of four titles.

Pornchai Kaokaew claimed two golds in the men's team and regu events, making him the most decorated sepak takraw player in Asian Games history with eight golds.

The 33-year-old has won gold medals going back to the Games in Busan in 2002.

Bowler Yannaphon Larpapharat began Thailand's gold medal haul when he surprisingly took the men's singles title. He later also won silver in the men's all-events.

Boxer Wutthichai Masuk was Thailand's last gold medallist in Incheon when he stunned South Korea's Lim Hyun-Chul with a split decision in the 64kg final.

American-Thai Amanda Carr became a household name in Thailand when she won the women's BMX title.

"I'd like to thank the Thai people, particularly those in Udon Thani province for their support," Amanda, whose mother hails from Udon Thani, said in Thailand's northeastern dialect.

Fellow cyclist Jutatip Maneephan took gold in the women's road race.

Thailand also won its first-ever Asian Games medals in golf including one gold. Benyapa Niphatsophon, Supamas Sanchan and Budsakorn Sukapan won the women's team title with Busdakorn also claiming silver in the individual event.

Veteran tennis star Tamarine Tanasugarn ended her Asian Games career with her first gold when the 37-year-old won the women's doubles title with Luksika Kumkhum.

Sailors Noppakao Poonpat and Nichapa Waiwai sealed gold in the women's 29er two-person dinghy event.

In taekwondo, Olympic bronze medallist Chanatip Sonkham won the women's 49kg title.

The popular women's volleyball team also won Thailand's first-ever medal in the indoor version of the sport, beating Japan for bronze.

However, Thailand is still chasing its first medal in football after losing 1-0 to Iraq in the third-place match.

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