Asiad: Plenty to cheer

As the curtain came down in Incheon, South Korea, last night, Thailand concluded its Asian Games mission with 12 gold, seven silver and 28 bronze medals – the best result among Asean nations but just short of the target of 13 gold.

Thailand ranked sixth in the overall standings, behind Iran (21 gold), Kazakhstan (28), Japan (47), host South Korea (79) and sporting powerhouse China (151). 

Among Asean nations, Malaysia and Singapore both collected five gold and were second and third respectively in the region.

The Sports Authority of Thailand had targeted 13 gold and even though that was not achieved the medal tally was not bad compared to the previous edition of the Games in Guangzhou four years ago when Thailand finished in ninth place overall with 11 gold, nine silver and 32 bronze. 

Gold medals were won by Yannaphon Larp-Apharat, a ten-pin bowler; Wuttichai Masuk, a light welterweight boxer; American-Thai Amada Mildred, BMX; Jutatip Maneephan, road race; Noppakao Poonpat and Nichapa Waiwai, 29er-women’s two-person dinghy; and Chanatip Sonkham, taekwondo under 49kg.

Gold was also won by Tamarine Tanasugarn and Luksika Kumkhum in tennis doubles, the women’s golf team, the men’s and women’s sepak takraw teams, and the men’s and women’s sepak takraw regu teams.

Thailand’s relative underachievement in the 17th Asian Games was a result of several medal hopefuls flopping but that was countered by some unexpected results.

While Thailand, as expected, achieved its targets winning all four gold medals in pet sport sepak takraw and in taekwondo, there were some unexpected successes as well, such as the gold in ten-pin bowling, the cycling road race gold by Jutatip, who was herself surprised by her victory, and the historic first women’s doubles gold in tennis and by the women’s golf team. 

However, Thailand had gone into the Games with gold medal prospects in sports such as track and field, weightlifting, badminton, sailing and shooting but performed nowhere near the expected level.

The athletics team landed just one bronze (the men’s 110m hurdles) while the women’s 4x100m relay team, the defending champions, finished a mere fourth. 

Surapong Ariyamongkol, secretary-general of the Athletics Association of Thailand, realises it is time to make some changes,

Weightlifting, a sport in which Thailand has won three Olympic gold medals, also came up short in Incheon with just three bronze.

Badminton, one of Thailand’s most popular sports, produced no medals despite the Kingdom having several talented players, including 2013 world champion Ratchanok Intanon. 

The country’s sailing squad, who returned with three gold four years ago, also disappointed, managing only one gold this time while the shooting team, which had boasted it would grab three gold, finished without any medal. 

Chef de Mission of the Thai squad Thana Chaiprasit is satisfied with the overall picture despite earlier predicting that Thailand would win between 13 and 15 gold.

“Overall it was satisfying as the number of gold was near that of the last Games. We did not meet the target as sports like athletics, weightlifting and badminton failed to live up to expectations,” said Thana, who gave the host nation seven out of 10 for staging the event. 

“Overall Incheon has done okay, except for some areas like transportation, cooperation and the budget. I hope that the next host Indonesia will do better,” Thana said.

Last but not least were the performances of the national football team and the women’s volleyball team.

Despite missing out on a medal, Thai fans gave the footballers fourth-place finish the thumbs up after they reached the semi-finals.

There was also loud applause for the women’s volleyball team for winning an historic bronze.

A total of Bt86.5 million in incentive money will be awarded to the medallists and their camps by the government.