Thailand’s Buoban Pamang sets SEA Games record in women's Javelin Throw (© Peh Siong San)
Manila, The PhilippinesThere was no one individual performance to really shout about in terms of Asian or World standards on Day 2 of the athletics competition at the 2005 South East Asian (SEA) Games at the Riza Memorial Track & Field Stadium in Manila, today (28). But the crowd did have much to cheer about as host country continued to enjoy success following their one-two finish in the women's Long Jump on Day 1.
Today, Mercedita Manipol won the women’s 10,000m in 35:38.04, ahead of Myanmar’s Pa Pa (35:39.08) and Vietnam’s Truong Thi Mai (37:00.82). Though the time was slow and no where near the SEA Games record of 33:50.06, it was just the kind of win to get the crowd going.
Danilo Fresnido kept the momentum going for the Manila fans when he took the Javelin Throw gold with an 70.20m release. The silver medal went to Thailand’s Sanya Buathong (66.09m) while another Filipino Dandy Gallenero (65.80m) clinched the bronze. Also a hit with the home crowd was local star Rene Herera who took the men’s 3000m Steeplechase title with his time of 8:56.14, ahead of Vietnam’s Tran Van Thang (9:07.89) and Thailand’s Patikarn Pechsricha (9:13.27).
Malaysian dominate sprint hurdles
Malaysia also had a good day of competition. In the women’s 100m Hurdles, talk before the race centred on Thailand’s Trecia Roberts, a semi-finalist at the 2000 Olympic Games, who has a personal best of 12.73 from 1997. While she may no longer possess sub-13 second form, she was expected to dominate, alongside her closest south east asian rival, Malaysian Moh Siew Wei (13.27 NR, 2004). In the end, the battle turned out to be between Siew Wei and Indonesia’s Dede Erawati instead. The former won in a time of 13.24, while the latter took the silver in 13.58. Finishing a distant third was Trecia who recorded a time of 14.25.
There was more success for Malaysia who grabbed a one-two in the men’s sprint hurdles as Mohd Robani Hassan and Muhd Faiz Mohammad headed the field. Robani took the 110m Hurdles gold with his 14.08 second run while Faiz settled for silver with 14.16. Thailand’s Narongdech Janjai (PB of 14.03 from 2003) who was expected to challenge the Malaysians had to be content with bronze after clocking 14.22.
Thais win men's gold but lose grip on women's 100m
The finals of the much-awaited men’s and women’s 100m sprints didn’t disappoint in terms of excitement. Thailand dominated the men’s race, with Wachara Sondee (10.47) and Sompote Suwannarangsri (10.52) finishing first and second respectively. The bronze went to Indonesia’s Suryo Agung Wibowo who clocked 10.57, exactly the time he did in the semi-finals where he qualified as the fastest for the final. Missing the bronze narrowly was Singapore’s Poh Seng Song (10.58), an emerging face in Southeast Asian men’s sprinting.
If the Thais held off their challengers in the men’s event, they could not prevent defeat in the women’s 100m. Vietnam’s Vu Thi Huong showed that her status as fastest qualifier (11.61) was no fluke, when she won the gold in 11.49, ahead of Thailand’s Nongnuch Sanrat (11.63), and Orranut Klomdee (11.66), the defending champion.
Vietnam, increasingly assertive as a regional force in recent years, signalled its intention to dominate in years to come with more fine performances today. For example, in the women’s 800m, Do Thi Bong won the gold with her time of 2:03.65. Myanmar’s Yin Yin Khine (2:04.11) and Myint Myint Aye (2:04.60) took the silver and bronze respectively.
Gold and silver for Zhang Gui Rong
In the Shot Put, Singapore's Zhang Gui Rong lived up to her billing as overwhelming favourite when she took the gold with her throw of 17.40m. But she faced a much closer battle than expected, narrowly beating her closest rival, teammate Du Xianhui (17.37m). The bronze went to Thailand’s Juthaporn Krasaeyan (14.15). Zhang was expected to have things her way. At the Asian Championships in Incheon, Korea, in September, she claimed the silver medal with 18.57m, a result just seven centimetres shy of that recorded by the winner, China's Li Meiju. Du, who has PB of 18.67m recorded way back in 2002, was fifth in Incheon.
Games record for Thailand’s Buoban Pamang
Zhang Gui Rong had earlier in the day also clinched a bronze in the women's Javelin Throw. She recorded a distance of 48.70m, narrowly losing out to the Philippines' Rosie Villarito for the silver. Villarito's 49.43m earned her second spot while eventual winner Thailand’s Buoban Pamang set a new Games record of 55.06m. The old Games record, 54.80m, had been set by Pamang herself in Kuala Lumpur four years ago.
Chua Chong Jin for the IAAF
