Thailand claim silver in Men's 4x400m relay at Rio Paralympics
Thailand’s bid for a record fifth athletics gold and seventh overall at the Rio Paralympic Games has ended after a quartet of Saichon Konjen, Rawat Tana, Pongsakorn Paeyo and Prawat Wahoram settled for silver medal in the men’s 4x400m relay (T53/54) at th
In the preliminary heats earlier, the Thai foursome performed well beyond expectation when they crossed the finish line first in the first heat to clock a season-best time of 3 minutes, 08.37 seconds, relegating Korea and Canada to the second and third places respectively.
In the final round, the Thai team finished second place to China after clocking 3.08.37 minutes. The Chinese team, who were in devastating form to set the world and Paralympic records of 3.04.77 minutes in the preliminary heats earlier, clocked the best time of 3.04.77 minutes, with Korea in third place in 3.10.73 minutes.
However, Canada appealed to the jury that interference made by track referee put their athletes in the wrong position. After taking the matter into consideration, the jury of appeal decided that the errors made by the judges significantly affected the running and the race were held again.
Despite the rerun of the race, Thailand remained in second place over the line after clocking another season-best time of 3.07.73 minutes. China still proved that they are the best in this discipline to cross the finish line first with new world and Paralympic records of 3.04.58 minutes, while Canada finished third in 3.08.00 minutes and Korea were disqualified.
For Thailand, although strengthened by Pongsakorn Paeyo and Prawat Wahoram, both of them have already captured two gold apiece in Rio de Janeiro, they maintained their second place in the same discipline they achieved at the London Paralympic Games four years ago. There, Prawat Wahoram and Saichon Konjen also joined the Thai quartet.
Earlier, Saichon Konjen returned empty-handed in the men’s 100m (T54) event after finishing fourth place in 14.28 seconds. Finland’s Leo Pekka Tahti took the gold medal in 13.90 seconds, with China’s Liu Yang and Netherlanders Kenny van Weeghel claiming silver and bronze medals after clocking 14.10 and 14.23 seconds respectively.
The Thailand’s Paralympic contingent have so far captured 6 gold, 6 silver and 6 bronze medals in Rio de Janeiro. Of the six gold medals they have won at the Rio Paralympics, four came from the the 20-year-old Pornsakorn Paeyo’s 400m (T53) and 800m (T52/53) and veteran Prawat Wahoram’s 5,000m (T53/54) and 1,500m (T53/54). The boccia players handed Thailand the remaining two gold including one from Watcharaphon Vongsa in the mixed individual (BC2).
With a harvest of 6-6-6 medals haul, which has already surpassed not only their initial target of four gold medals achieved at the London Paralympics four years ago but also their highest record of 5-4-2 at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, Thailand at press time finish 23rd place overall at the medal tally. China remain uncatchable at top after surpassing a century of gold medals. They now have 105 gold. Great Britain and Ukraine are in second and third places with 64 and 41 gold medals respectively.
