During the past 15 days in Doha, some athletes excelled and some disappointed, but the biggest achievement for many is the mere participation in the 15th Asian Games.

There were some remarkable success stories of Thai athletes, who caught the imagination of the people of Doha and Asia with their determination and the will to succeed. They return to the Kingdom, planting their country in fifth place overall with 54 medals, 13 of them gold.

Athletics - The men's sprinting quartet of Seksan Wongsala, Wachara Sondee, Ekkachai Chanthana and Sittichai Suwonprateep made it two-in-a-row for Thailand after producing a fantastic run in the 4x100m relay event.

The home stretch was a thriller, with Sittichai and Japan's Shinji Takahira ending up in a photo finish. Although their timing of 39.21 seconds was a far-cry from the Games record of 38.82 established by former sprint king Rienchai Seehawong and his compatriots in Busan, South Korea, it was a tight contest nevertheless and kept the spectators on the edge of their seats.

Buaban Pamang, touted an underdog, proved that an also-ran can beat red-hot favourites. Entering the contest with a personal best of 56.68m in the women's javelin, Buaban threw 61.95m to become the first Thai athlete to win a field gold in the Asian Games.

Weightlifting - Plucky Pawina Thongsuk was in stunning form again after setting a world clean-and-jerk record of 142kg in the women's 63kg category. Her victory ended a 40-year gold-medal drought in weightlifting competition. Pawina now holds all the three world records in the category (snatch 116kg, clean-and-jerk 142kg and total 256kg).

Shooting - Teen sensations Thanyalak Chotpaibunsin, Paramaporn Ponglaokham and Supamas Wankaew won the women's 50m rifle prone team gold with 1,767 points, relegating hot favourites China, led by Athens Olympics bronze winner Wang Chengyi, to second place. A mere seven points separated them.

Sailing - Experienced skipper Damrongsak Vongtim and his crew and younger brother Sakda made Thai sailing history by becoming the first Thais to finish in the top 10 in a European meet this year in France. In Doha, they did one better by winning the gold. They were just following the footsteps of their father, former world Topcat champion Vinai Vongtim. The gold was all the sweeter as they finished second to Singapore in the previous Games in Busan. Pride restored.

Boxing - The reformed playboy Manus Boonjumnong won the lone boxing gold for Thailand. It was a repeat of what happened in Busan, where former world champion Somjit Jongjohor was the lone Thai gold medallist.

Adding another gold to his remarkable collection, the Athens Olympic hero has vowed to shave his head and enter a Buddhist monastery when he returns to Bangkok.

Sepak takraw - It is a medal-minting sport for Thailand not only in the SEA Games but also at the Asian Games. The Thais lived up to their fans' expectation by winning four gold medals in the men's regu, doubles and triple-team events and women's regu event. For star server Suebsak Phansueb, it was a hat trick of victories in the Asian Games. The win gave Thailand bragging rights over perennial rivals Malaysia.

Billiards - Praprut Chaithanasakul, a double gold medallist in Busan, and his partner Udorn Khaimuk beat Burmese Aung San Oo and Kyaw Oo 3-1 in the men's English doubles billiards and kept some of our pride intact.

Body-building - Powerfully-built Sitthi Charoenrith, the two-time world champion, displayed his muscles to hand Thailand the gold in the men's 80kg event. His victory in the Asian Games sent a strong signal to the Olympic Committee of Thailand to reconsider including body-building as a medal sport in the South East Asian Games in Nakhon Ratchasima next year.

Tennis - Top-seeded and World No-49 Lee Hyung-taik, who piloted South Korea to team gold, entered the men's singles final as the clear favourite. But Danai Udomchoke had other ideas.

No doubt Lee, who was suffering from fever, was unfit, But that doesn't undermine Danai's exceptional effort in beating the Korean in two sets.

Qatar soccer champs

nHosts Qatar yesterday collected the last title on offer by beating Iraq 1-0 in the final of the men's soccer.

Preechachan Wiriyanupappong

The Nation

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