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Published on December 15, 2007

Sailing, windsurfing and taekwondo turned into gold-mine sports for Thailand on the penultimate day of the 24th SEA Games as the host nation have already crossed their initial gold-medal target to maintain their unchallenged lead.

Thailand eyed between 150 and 160 gold medals from the 24th edition on home soil. However, the Thais have made it impossible for their regional rivals to catch them, after grabbing 13 more gold yesterday, with just a day to go before the Games end.

Tens of thousands of sports enthusiasts thronged into His Majesty the King's 80th Birthday Anniversary Stadium yesterday.  Hundreds of soccer fans with Thai flag-striped head-bands braved the scorching midday sun waited patiently at the entrance of the main stadium for the doors to open for the final clash between Thailand and Burma.

Thai sailors stole the limelight yesterday to win six gold out of 12 at stake, while their windsurfers also performed superbly helped by ideal wind and sea conditions off Jomtien Beach in Pattaya to add four more gold to the Thai tally.

Skillful judokas saved the day for Thailand when they garnered three gold out of four up for grabs yesterday. Niramon Promtaeng won  in  the women's over-78kg heavyweight, while Pongpitsanu Pratepwad-tananon and Tharalat Sutthiphun took the men's under-100kg half heavyweight and the men's over-100kg heavyweight titles respectively.

Thai taekwondo exponents also followed suit by bagging three golds yesterday, with Chatchawal Khawlaor landing the men's under-54kg class. The other gold came from Natthapong Tewawetchapong and Buttree Puedpong in the men's under-58kg and the women's under-47kg divisions respectively.

Indonesia reigned supreme in badminton, with world No 4 Flandy Limpele and Vita Marissa dashing the Kingdom's lone hope in the mixed doubles clash after outclassing Sudket Prapakamol amd Saralee Thoungthongkam in straight games.

Vietnam swept both gold medals in the team events in karate-do, while Malaysia claimed a full house in the diving competition with five gold medals.

But it was a bad day for Thai tennis when host players failed to make their mark to go down in both men's and women's singles events. Top seed Danai Udomchoke lost to title-holder Mamit Cecit from the Philippines in two sets, while Indonesia claimed the women's singles title.

Thailand took the baseball gold after a clean sweep of impressive victories in the single round-robin competition.

Indonesia took the lion's share of three gold out of seven on offer in the canoe flat competition, leaving Burma and Vietnam to claim two gold apiece. Thailand's Natthaphon Yatra, who already won the gold in the men's kayak doubles (k2) 1,000m on Wednesday, settled for the silver medal in the kayak singles (k1) 500m yesterday.

In the traditional boat race, Burmese rowers were in superb form to clinch both golds on offer in the men's and women's 10-crew 500m events.

Preechachan Wiriyanupappong

 The Nation

Nakhon Ratchasima