Kayak king Kasemsit captures second gold

Thanyalak, Ratchadaporn Plengsaengthong and Vitchuda Pichitkanjanakul scored 1,775 points to reign supreme, while hosts Myanmar (1,767) and Malaysia (1,739) took silver and bronze.

Thanyalak missed out on another gold in the individual 50m rifle prone when  Myanmar’s Thu Thu Kyaw shot 595 points, beating the Thai by just one point. Ratchadaporn had to be content with bronze with 591 points. 

On Wednesday, Thailand’s men’s team led by veteran Tavarit Majcharcheep handed the country its first gold in shooting, scoring 1,841 points in the 50m rifle prone team.

In other events yesterday, Kasemsit Borriboonwasin captured his second Games gold after a fierce battle with Nguyen Thanh Quang of Vietnam in the men’s 500m individual kayak event.

Kasemsit, who helped the Thai men’s quartet clinch the 1,000m team kayak event two days ago, crossed the line first in one minute, 51.364 seconds, relegating his Vietnamese challenger to second spot in 1.51.812.

Four more bronze medals in the rowing competition were added to the country’s tally yesterday by the Suansan siblings, Rungsawan and Kanokpan, in the men’s 500m individual canoe and women’s 500m individual kayak. The women’s pair of Woraporn Boonyuhong and Pattraluck Phamsatan clinched bronze in the 500m two-rower kayak event, while the men’s pair of Phanudech Petchmeeka and Nares Naoprakone claimed the fourth bronze for the country in the 500m two-rower canoe.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s mountain bike cross-country team picked up a silver after crossing the finish line second in 57 minutes, 23.117 seconds. Indonesia stole the show with a time of 55:48.377 to capture the gold, while Vietnam bagged the bronze.

Thai fans were given something to cheer about when their women’s sepak takraw team scored their third win yesterday with a 3-0 victory over Indonesia. Thailand, who tamed Malaysia 3-0 in their first match, go up against Myanmar today. A victory over the hosts will earn the Thai team a gold medal.