Focus will be on Olympic disciplines at SEA Games, says SAT chief
Thailand will focus on excelling in Olympic disciplines at the 2021 Southeast Asian Games as there is a low chance of topping the total medals tally, the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) said.
The 2021 Southeast Asian Games will held in Hanoi, Vietnam from May 12 to 23.
SAT governor Kongsak Yodmanee said on Monday that there were many factors that reduced Thailand’s chances of heading the medals table.
Kongsak said the biggest obstacle in preparing athletes for this edition of the SEA Games was the Covid-19 situation. As the competition was postponed from 2021 to the following year, sports associations and the SAT had tight schedules to prepare the athletes. However, the SAT said it had received support for every dimension, especially in sports science.
He said SEA Games is important for Thailand’s sports development because it is a competition of pride to which Thai fans attach high importance.
Kongsak assured that Thai athletes are 100 per cent ready and will travel to Vietnam in early May as some competitions will get under way before the opening ceremony, such as the men’s football team’s match against Malaysia on Saturday.
The SAT has set the target of bettering its performance at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, in which Thailand finished third with 92 gold medals, 103 silver, and 123 bronze.
Kongsak said the SEA Games should be seen as a stage to prepare young athletes for the Asian Games and Olympics in the future. He urged Thai fans to evaluate performances in Olympic disciplines while looking at the total medals tally.
