Suryo Agung Wibowo of Indonesia after taking the 2007 SEA Games 100m title (© AFP)
Five records fell as host country Thailand took an expected comfortable lead on the opening day of athletics on Friday (7) at the 24th South East Asia (SEA) Games in this city's His Majesty the King's 80th Birthday Anniversary Stadium of the northern province of Nakhon Ratchasima.
Indonesia's Suryo Agung Wibowo (100m), Thailand's Theerayut Philakong (Triple Jump), Chatchawal Polyemg (Shot Put), Buoban Phamang (Javelin Throw) and Vietnam's Truong Thanh Hang (1500m) produced the highest notes of the day as six of the 11 participating nations won at least one medal.
100m Games record for Wibowo
After breaking his personal best in the semifinals, 24-year old Wibowo flew to another fine performance in lane four and stopped the clock in 10.25 for a new Games record, just 0.01 seconds faster that the mark set by Thai Reanchai Seeharwong in Brunei 1999.
Fifth in 2003 and third in 2005, the young sprinter improved his four-year old PB twice on the same day and met the B Olympic standard for Beijing 2008. He also became the second Indonesian man to claim a SEA Games men's title after Mardi Lestari won it three consecutive times (1989-1993).
Thailand's defending champion Wachara Sondee was pulled to a new personal best of 10.33 as Malaysian junior Mohammad Noor Imran Hadi (10.54) completed the podium spots.
Huong takes women's 100
In the women's race, World University Games relay silver medallist Jutamass Tawoncharoen looked set to give the host country a sprint gold after posting the fastest time in the semifinals with a personal best and Olympic B standard of 11.38, but that effort caused her an injury and had to drop out of the final.
That incident paved the way to Vu Thi Huong as she defended her 2005 crown, equaling her personal best of 11.47, just five hundredths of a second shy of the B Olympic qualifying mark.
The 21-year-old, a double sprint medallist at last summer's Asian Championships in Amman, was followed by Thailand's Nongnuch Sanrat (11.56) and Indonesia's 1999 champion Irene Truitje Joseph (11.77).
The host country won six of the nine finals contested on the opening day and three of its winners smashed previous SEA Games records.
Triple jumper Theerayut Philakong made almost a half a meter improvement from his gold medal performance in Manila as he landed at 16.44 for a the first Games athletics record on the third round.
The 23-year-old erased his compatriot Nattapon Namkunha's 16.37 mark, set in 2001.
A few minutes later, defending Shot put champion Chatchawal Polyemg provided the second athletic record with his fifth round effort of 17.43, better than the previous best (17.28), set by Singapore's Enxin Dong in 2003.
In the women's field, Buoban Phamang only needed two throws to clinch her fourth consecutive SEA Games in the Javelin.
The 20-year old released the 600gm implement to 55.97 in the second round to better her 55.06 Games record set two years later in the Philippines capital.
The 2006 Asian Games champion ended a successful season that included her first Asian championships gold and a personal pest of 61.40 to win the World University Games on home soil.
Unchallenged from the gun to the tape, Vietnam's Truong Thanh Hang made an impressive display on the track to improve her national record by six seconds (4:11.60) and defend her 2005 title successfully.
It was double joy for Vietnam as her 18-year-old countrywoman Hien Bui Thi finished third (4:32.55), behind Indonesia's Rini Budiarti (4:19.99).
Two other Thais renewed their 2005 victories: Wassana Winatho (57.21) and Boonthung Srisung (14:18.03) in the women's 400m hurdles and the men's 5000m. The latter exploded with joy after winning his third consecutive title.
"I'm glad to win the first athletics gold for Thailand, but I'm not that happy with the timing," Wassana told the Nation newspaper.
She will compete in two more events - the 4x400m relay and Heptathlon. "I had a headache after crossing the finish line. This might have been because of the scorching sun as well as the cold winds," said the 27-year-old.
Her countryman Apisit Kuttiyawan posted a convincing victory in the 400m hurdles with 50.38.
Apart from the finals, Vietnam's Van Huyen Vu leads the Decathlon after the first day with 3=,995 points, ahead of Thailand's Boonkete Chalon (3863) and Philippines' Arnold Villarube (3680).
Thailand leads the tally with 12 medals (six gold, four silver and two bronze), followed by Vietnam (2-0-2), Indonesia (1-2-1), the Philippines (0-3-2), Cambodia and Malaysia (0-0-1).
13 finals set for Saturday
Thirteen finals will be staged on Saturday, as well the final five events of the Decathlon. Men will contest for the 800m, 3000m Steeplechase, Pole Vault, Discus, Hammer, Javelin and 4x400m relay and women will compete in the 800m, 5000m, High Jump, Long Jump, Discus and 4x400m Relay.
The athletics competition will be held until December 11.
Officially opened on Thursday, the biannual 24th SEA Games are held for the sixth time in Thailand, where 475 finals will be staged in 43 sports among all the 10 South East Nations, plus Timor Leste.
Javier Clavelo Robinson for the IAAF
Medallists on the first day of the 24th SEA Games (7 Dec):
Men -
100m (-0.1)
1. Suryo Agung Wibowo INA 10.25 GR
2. Wachara Sondee THA 10.33
3. Mohammad Noor Imran Hadi MAS 10.54
400m Hurdles
1. Apisit Kuttiyawan THA 50.38
2. Zulkarnain Purba INA 51.29
3. Teeraporn Parkum THA 51.58
5000m
1. Boonthung Srisung THA 14:18.03
2. Julius Sermona PHI 14:19.20 SB
3 Bunting Hem CAM 14:24.71
Triple Jump
1. Theerayut Philakong THA 16.44 (+1.8) GR
2. Kittisak Sukon THA 16.21
3. Jobert Delicano PHI 16.07
Shot Put
1. Chatchawal Polyemg THA 17.43 GR
2. Sarayudh PinitjIT THA 16.99
3. Eliezer Sunang PHI 15.62
Women
100m (-0.3)
1. Thi Huong Vu VIE 11.47
2. Nongnuch Sanrat THA 11.56
3. Irene Truitje Joseph INA 11.77
1500m
1. Truong Thanh Hang VIE 4:11.60 GR
2. Rini Budiarti INA 4:19.99
3. Bui Thi Hien VIE 4:32.55
400m hurdles
1. Wassana Winatho THA 57.21
2. Mary Grace Milgar PHI 59.07 SB
3. Nguyen Thi Nu VIE 59.25
Javelin
1. Buoban Phamang THA 55.97 GR
2. Rosie Villarito PHI 50.49
3. Arunya Butsrising THA 39.74
GR- Games Record
