Singapore: Thailand remained overall leaders after winning seven gold medals yesterday at the 28th SEA Games.
Thailand won two golds apiece in tennis and taekwondo and one each in sepak takraw, petanque and archery.
By the end of yesterday’s events, defending overall champions Thailand had 78 gold medals, four more than Singapore’s tally, with only three days of the Games remaining.
In taekwondo, Chanatip Sonkham and Akkarin Kitwijarn were champions in their respective weight classes.
Olympic bronze medallist Chanatip easily beat Luisa Dos Santos of Timor Leste 22-9, in the final of the women’s 49kg division.
“I want to win gold in every tournament,’’ said Chanatip who has won the world and Asian Games titles.
“The Olympics is the only major tournament in which I have not yet won gold.”
Whilst in the men’s 63kg showdown, Akkarin outscored Zaw of Myanmar 19-3.
In sepak takraw, Thailand comfortably beat Myanmar 2-0 in the women’s regu final for the country’s fourth gold medal in the sport.
The Thai trio of Kaewjai Pumsawangkaew, Wanwisa Jankaew and Sasiwimol Janthasit won 21-7, 21-11.
In tennis, Thailand had a one-two finish in the women’s singles after Noppawan Lertcheewakarn beat Varatchaya Wongteanchai 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 in the final.
Twins Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana had few problems against Ruben Gonzales Jr and Jeson Patrombon of the Philippines in their 6-4, 6-4 win in the men’s doubles final.
In petanque, Thailand’s Suksan Piachan, Thanakorn Sangkaew and Aumpawan Suwannaphruk defeated Cambodia 13-10 in the mixed triples team final.
In cycling, Asian Games gold medallist Jutatip Maneephan had to settle for silver in the women’s mass start road race.
Jutatip finished first in 2:49.42hr ahead of Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi That.
But following a protest, the organising committee penalised Jutatip for obstructing Nguyen earlier in the race.
Nguyen was then declared the winner and Jutaip the runner-up.
“I accept the decision and am happy with the silver medal,’’ Jutatip said.
Decha Hemkrasri, secretary-general of the Cycling Association of Thailand, said the organisers initially wanted to disqualify Jutatip but that the Thai team was successful in persuading them to reduce the penalty.
Jutatip will receive the 300,000 baht gold medal bonus from the association despite the contretemps, he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysia grabbed the men’s hockey gold in a thrilling shoot-out after hosts Singapore forced penalties with a last-gasp equaliser.
Nor Azrul Abdul Rahman was the hero with a confidently taken decisive penalty as Malaysia won the shoot-out 4-3, after the scores finished 2-2 in regulation time.