Suryo Agung Wibowo of Indonesia after taking the 2007 SEA Games 100m title (© AFP)
Led by high jumper Noengrothai Chaipetch and the relay teams, Thailand confirmed its dominance at the athletics tournament of the 25th South East Asian (SEA) Games in Vientiane, held in Laos for the first time.
The 48-medal haul, including 14 gold, helped the delegation from the land of Siam maintain its regional supremacy, with Vietnam very close in the overall medal tally. The athletics programme of the Games concluded on Thursday.
Twelve records fell during the five days of competition as double champions like Indonesian sprinter Suryo Agung Wibowo (100m-200m), long distance runner Triyaningsih (5000m-10,000m), Vietnamese sprinter Vu Thi Huong (100m-200m), Truong Thanh Hang and Nguyen Dinh Cuong (800m-1500m) and Indonesia’s Triyaningsih.
The most remarkable performance came in the women’s High Jump as 27-year-old Chaipech cleared 1.94m to beat the competition mark and also equal the 15-year-old Asian Games mark.
Her compatriot Thitima Muangjan successfully defended her Triple Jump crown with a national record leap of 14.08m.
Jumrut Rittidet, 20, produced the highlight on the track when he set a new national and Games record in winning the 110m Hurdles in 13.89.
Wibowo Suryo Agung and Triyanings led Indonesia to the second place in the athletics tally. Suryo Agung confirmed he is the fastest man in Southeast Asia with a clear win in the 100m, in a national record time of 10.17. He went on to take the 200m in 20.85.
Triyanings was unrivalled in the 5000m and 10,000m with superb times of 15:56.79, two seconds shy of her Games record, and 32:49.47, well inside the previous Games standard.
Philippines’ Marestella Torres starred with national record of 6.68m in the Long Jump, while her compatriot Arniel Ferrera overcome training obstacles to renew his Hammer gold in a Games record of 61.62m.
Three athletes repeated their doubles wins from Korat 2007 to lead Vietnam to second in the athletics competition.
Truong Thanh Hang confirmed herself as the fastest woman in the region. She took the 100m in 11.34 and the 200m in 23.31, better than her winning times two years ago. The 2009 Asian Champs silver medallist added silver as a member of the 4x100m squad, behind Thailand.
Nguyen Dinh Cuong and Truong Thanh Hang proved again to be the middle distance king and queen as they renewed his titles in the 800m and 1500m.
Other record breakers were Malaysia’s Roslinda Samsu (4.15m) and K. Sintawacheewa (5.21m) of Thailand in the Pole Vault, Malaysia’s Tan Song Hwa in the Hammer (56.41m), Vietnam’s Vu Van Huyen in the Decathlon (7558), Thailand’s Chatchawal Polyeam in the Shot Put (17.59m) and Theerayut Philakong in the Triple Jump (16.51m).
At 40, Singapore’s James Wong clinched his eighth Discus gold. He had won seven consecutive titles in 1995-2005.
Thailand led the medal tally with 48 medals (14 gold, 20 silver and 14 bronze), followed by Indonesia (7-7-7), Vietnam (7-4-11), Philippines (7-3-4). Nine of the 11 countries of the region achieved at least one medal.
Nineteen athletes successfully defended their titles. The next edition of the SEA Games will be held in Bandung and Semarang, Indonesia in 2011.
Click here for results
Javier Clavelo Robinson for the IAAF
Champions:
Men -
100m: Suryo Agung Wibowo Indonesia 10.17 GR
200m: Suryo Agung Wibowo Indonesia 20.85
400m: Mohd Zafril Malaysia Malaysia 47.11
800m: Nguyen Dinh Cuong Vietnam 1:50.65
1500m: Nguyen Dinh Cuong Vietnam 3:46.58
5000m: Aung Khaing Myanmar 14:43.12
10,000m: Agus Prayogo Indonesia 29:51.40
Marathon: E Buenavista Philippines 2:21:10.14
3000m ST: Rene Herrera Philippines 9:11.20
110m H: J. Rittidet Thailand 13.89 GR
400m H: N. Janjai Thailand 52.49
HJ: Lee Hup Wei Malaysia 2.18m
PV: K. Sintawacheewa Thailand 5.21m GR
LJ: S. Sukhasvasti Thailand 7.83m
SP: C. Polyiam Thailand 17.59m GR
DT: Wong Tuck Yim Singapore 53.60m
HT: Arniel Ferrera Philippines 61.62m GR
JT: Danilo Fresnido Philippines 72.93m
4×100m: Thailand 39.34
4×400m: Thailand 3:08.40
20km Walk: Teoh Boon Lim Malaysia 1:31:28
Women -
100m: Vu Thi Huong Vietnam 11.34
200m: Vu Thi Huong Vietnam 23.31
400m: T. Yong Phan Thailand 54.16
800m: Truong Thanh Hang Vietnam 2:02.74
1500m: Truong Thanh Hang Vietnam 4:19.48
5,000m: Triyaningsih Indonesia 15:56.79
10,000m: Triyaningsih Indonesia 32:49.47 GR
Marathon: Jho-An Banayag Philippines 2:46:34
100m H: Dedeh Erawati Indonesia 13.34
400m H: Noraseela Khalid Malaysia 56.99
HJ: N. Chaipech Thailand 1.94 GR
PV: Roslinda Samsu Malaysia 4.15m GR
LJ: Marestella Torres Philippines 6.68m GR
TJ: T. Muangjan Thailand 14.08m GR
SP: Zhang Guirong Singapore 17.12m
DT: Dwi Ratnawati Indonesia 50.63m
HT: Tan Song Hwa Malaysia 56.41m GR
JT: Rosie Villarito Philippines 49.69m
Heptathlon: Amornrat Winatho Thailand 5,644
20km Walk: Kay Khing Myo Tun Myanmar 1:45:0
GR = Games Record
