Thailand drop medal target

The 23-year-old Khon Kaen native, who won one of Thailand’s two silvers at the 2012 Olympics, will be one of 13 Thais in the SEA Games weightlifting competition. Each nation is eligible to send weightlifters in nine of 11 categories for the regional sporting event.

“Pimsiri is in good condition and should be in the final line-up, which we will announce this morning. We’ll leave the final decision to the coaching staff as they have been with the athletes constantly and know who deserves to make the cut,” said national team manager Pol Maj-General Surasit Sangkapong. Panida Kamsri, in the 48kg category, and Olympics veteran Ratikal Kulnoi, in the 58kg, are also likely to earn berths for Myanmar as both won gold medals at the last SEA Games in Indonesia two years ago.

Though Thailand returned with a haul of nine golds from Indonesia two years ago, the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (TAWA) is targeting only four gold medals this time, with the action taking place from December 13 to 16 in Yangon.

Meanwhile, Thai Cycling Association secretary general Lt Gen Decha Hemkrasri has targeted three gold medals, from Chanpeng Nontasin, women’s time trial defending champion, Wipawee Dicabares, in the women’s downhill, and the athletes of the men’s road race team.

“The route for women’s time trial is the same as the men’s. It covers 128km and is 60 per cent hilly which will be quite a challenge for some of our cyclists. The coaching team have work to do in studying the route and making game plans for the athletes,” said Decha, whose team won two golds amid a total of 15 medals at the previous Games.

“While our women’s BMX team will be neck-and-neck with Indonesia, the chances for our men are very slim as the Philippines will field two highly ranked half-American cyclists,” Decha said.

In basketball, Thailand expect the women’s team, under former national player Karnjana Prasarnchaimontri, to win the gold medal following an impressive performance in the Asian Championship where Thailand won the Division 2 and a play-off berth for promotion to Division 1 next year. A silver is the target for the men’s team, as the Philippines remain the region’s powerhouse. Thai men’s and women’s volleyball teams are expected to win gold medals.