9th SEA Games gold for Thai women's regu
The women’s sepak takraw team produced the third Kuala Lumpur SEA Games gold medal for they finished atop of the group by outclassing Malaysia 21-10 21-12 in the last round-robin match of women’s regu at the Titiwangsa Indoor Stadium yesterday.
Spearheaded by the talented Tidarat Sopa, Thailand made hat-trick wins, beating Indonesia and the Philippines in straight sets en route to their ninth straight SEA Games gold medal. They emulated the men’s chinlone event 1 team and men’s regu team which had claimed two victorious medals for Thailand earlier.
“It was a bit easier than we expected. We expected to face Indonesia but they walked out of the competition (in protest) earlier,” said national head coach Veeras Na Nongkhai
“We are so proud to win this third gold for the Thai sepak takraw team. Once again we proved that Thai women’s sepak takraw is the best in the world. But there are three more to go (for the whole team) as we set a target at six golds. For us, the women’s doubles is next up for grab but it won’t be easy,” Veeras said.
Thailand also took four silver medals on Monday. Thanawut Sanikwathi surprisingly took the silver in the men’s criterium 45 km while defending champion and 2014 Incheon Asian Games gold medalist Jutatip Maneephan had to settle with the bronze in Women’s criterium 35km.
The second silver came from archery after the men’s recurve events team losing to host Malaysia 1-5 in the final.
At the Matrade Exhibition and Convention Centre 2016 Asian junior champion Varagun Srinualnad, 18, lost to Vietnam's Vu Thanh An 6-15 in the final.
The women's 400m freestyle team came in second with the time of 3.46.46 minutes to grab the silver
