Triple SEA Games champion - Thailand's Wassana Winatho (C) after her gold medal in the 400m Hurdles (7 Dec) with silver medallist Grace Mary Milgar (L) from Philippines and bronze medallist Thi Nguyen Nu of Vietnam (© AFP / Getty Images)
Wassana Winatho claimed a third gold with a new Heptathlon record to confirm Thailand on top of the athletics tournament at the 24th South East Asia (SEA) Games in this northern city's His Majesty the King's 80th Birthday Anniversary Stadium.
Elsewhere on the final day, Vietnam's Vu Thi Huong and Nguyen Dinh Cuong and Indonesia's Suryo Agung Wibowo and Triyaningsih completed golden doubles.
Back from surgery
Thailand’s Wassana Winatho confirmed herself as the most versatile athlete of the Games. Having already secured gold medals in the 400m Hurdles and as a member of the winning 4x400m relay squad, the 27-year-old produced a solid performance in the Heptathlon as she totalled 5889 points for a new national and Games record. She erased her own mark of 5547, set in 1999, and also set an Olympic ‘B’ standard.
Wassana told the Bangkok Post she was delighted to have overcome bad health at the beginning the month as well as knee surgery undertaken earlier this year.
''I'm tired after this event but I'm really happy to have qualified for the Olympics. I have to thank my Russian coach,“ commented Winatho, who was followed by Vietnam's two-time defending Nguyen Thi Thu Cuc (5259) and Philippines' Narcisa Atienza (5093).
Sprint doubles
Vu Thi Huong and Suryo Agung Wibowo became the first sprinters to secure 100-200m doubles at the SEA Games since 2001.
The latter blazed to a 20.76 second victory to erase the 23-year-old national record (20.93), just outside the Olympic ‘B’ standard ( 20.75), as he beat Thailand's defending champion Sittichai Suwonprateep (20.84) and fellowman John Herman Murray (21.01).
In the women's race Vu Thi Huong also broke the 200m national record (23.47) to wrap up a successful campaign here, winning the 100m and the 4x100m silver. Thailand's Orranut Klomdee ( 23.74) and Myanmar's Lwin Kay Khine (23.85) joined her on the podium.
Two more Games’ records fell on the last day for a total of 16
In the hard-fought Triple Jump final, Thitima Muangjan took the lead with an opening effort of 13.65, already a Games record, but Malaysia's defending champion Ngew Sin Mei responded with a fourth round leap of 13.75m(windy). Supported by a good crowd, the 24-year Thai found an extra boost and landed at 13.85 for a new national and Games mark.
Fifth in 2003 and third in 2005, Muangjan finally enjoyed the taste of gold after losing the Long Jump in the last round. In both events, Sin Mei ceded to her top contender in the region.
''I did not expect to win gold because the Malaysian was very good,'' said Muangjan.
Silver medallist Sin Mei told Bernama, "I am so devastated but I promise I will be back and train even harder. I want to qualify for the Beijing Olympics which means I need to clear 14.05m. It's within my reach,"
Vietnam's 17-year Thuong Dao Thi Hoai was a distant third (12.39), but she became the youngest individual athletics medallist here.
Vietnam and Indonesia share multiple middle and long distance success
Nguyen Dinh Cuong became the first man since 1995 to win the 800-1500m with his best run ever (3:45.70) for a new Games and national record. The 25-year-old held off the challenge of Vadivellan Mahendran, who shattered the 10-year-old Malaysian record with 3:45.70, while 5000m and 10,000m winner Boonthung Srisung (3:52.40) of Thailand settled for bronze.
Three days after improving the 5000m Games record by 14 seconds (15:54.32), Indonesia's 20-year old Triyaningsih ran unchallenged to win the women’s 10,000m in 34:07.35, over half a minute faster that her closest rival.
Malaysia found some compensation as its two 2007 Asian champions - Lee Hup Wei and Rosalinda Samsu won their respective events: the men's High Jump and the women's Pole Vault. He improved from his fifth place in Manila two years ago and she renewed her 2005 title.
Other winners on the final day were Philippines' Julius Felicisimo Nierras (46.56) and Thailand's Saowalee Kaewchuy (54.75) in the 400m, Sanya Buathong (68.65) of the host country in the Javelin Throw and defending champion Zhang Guirong in the Shot Put to give Singapore its only athletics gold.
Another double winner was Truong Thanh Hang of Vietnam with two excellent displays in the 800m (2:02.39) and the 1500m (4:11.60), both national and Games records.
As expected Thailand topped the tally comfortably with 45 medals (17 gold, 19 silver and nine bronze), followed by Vietnam (8-4-5), Indonesia (7-7-5), Malaysia (7-3-9), the Philippines (5-7-9), Singapore (1-0-1), Myanmar (0-4-5), Cambodia (0-1-1) and Brunei (0-0-1).
Laos, the host of the next Sea Games in 2009, failed to win any medals and Timor Leste did not participate.
Beijing qualifiers
Ten women and eight men renewed their 2005 crowns and four athletes secured qualification berths for the Olympics: Suryo Agung Wibowo ( 10.26) and injured Thai Jutamass Thavoncharoen (11.38) in the 100m, Singapore's Zhang Guirong (17.21) in the Shot Put and Wassana Winatho (Heptathlon). Vietnam's Bui Thi Nung (High Jump) achieved the mark earlier this season.
Javier Clavelo Robinson for the IAAF
Here are all the medallists on the final day and all the 2007 SEA Games champions:
Men
200m (+0.8)
1. Suryo Agung Wibowo INA 20.76
2. Sittichai Suwonprateep THA 20.84
3. John Herman Muray INA 21.01
400m
1. Julius Felicisimo Nierras PHI 46.56
2. Jukkatip Pojaroen THA 46.64
3. Muhamad Zaiful Zainal Abidin MAS 46.75
1500m
1. Nguyen Dinh Cuong VIE 3:45.31 GR
2. Vadivellan Mahendran MAS 3:45.70
3. Boonthung Srisung THA 3:52.40
High Jump
1. Lee Hup Wei MAS 2.19
2. Nguyen Duy Bang VIE 2.17
3. Ahmad Najwan Aqra Hassaim MAS 2.15
Javelin Throw
1. Sanya Buathong THA 68.65
2. Danilo Fresnido PHI 68.14
3. Nontach Palanupat THA 67.76
Women
200m (+0.8)
1. Vu Thi Huong VIE 23.47 NR
2. Orranut Klomdee THA 23.74
3. Lwin Kay Khine MYA 23.85
400m
1. Saowalee Kaewchuy THA 54.75
2. Lai Lai Win MYA 55.11
3. Kunya Harnthong THA 55.41
10,000m
1. Triyaningsih INA 15/05/1987 34:07.35
2. Pa Pa MYA 34:39.98
3. Merledita Manipol PHI 35:05.57
Pole Vault
1. Roslinda Samsu MAS 4.00
2. Deborah Samson PHI 3.90
3. Desy Margawati INA 3.80
Triple Jump
1. Thitima Muangjan THA 13.85 (+1.3) NR
2. Ngew Sin Mei MAS 13.75w (+3.2)
3. Thuong Dao Thi Hoai VIE 12.39
Shot Put
1. Zhang Guirong SIN 17.21
2. Juthaporn Krasaeyan THA 16.06
3. Siwaporn Warapiang THA 13.47
Heptathlon
1. Wassana Winatho THA 5889 GR NR Olympic
(13.97, 1.79, 11.82, 24.74/6.30, 34.90, 2:16.85)
2. Nguyen Thi Thu Cuc VIE 5259
3. Narcisa Atienza PHI 5093
2007 SEA Games champions:
Men
100m (-0.1) Suryo Agung Wibowo INA 10.25 GR
200m (+0.8) Suryo Agung Wibowo INA 20.76
400m Julius Felicisimo Nierras PHI 46.56
800m Dinh Cuong Nguyen VIE 1:51.16
1500m Nguyen Dinh Cuong VIE 3:45.31 GR
5000m Boonthung Srisung THA 14:18.03
10000m Boonthung Srisung THA 30:51.66
Marathon Yahuza INA 2:23:46
110m hurdles (-0.3) Rayzamshah Wan Shah MAS 13.91 GR
400m H Apisit Kuttiyawan THA 50.38
3000m Steeplechase Rene Herrera PHI 8:54.21
HJ Lee Hup Wei MAS 2.19
PV Sompong Saombankuay THA 5.10 GR
LJ Henry Dagmil PHI 7.87 (+1.7) GR
TJ Theerayut Philakong THA 16.44 (+1.8) GR
SP Chatchawal Polyemg THA 17.43 GR
DT Wansawang Sawasdee THA 54.13
HT Arniel Ferrera PHI 60.98 GR
JT Sanya Buathong THA 68.65
20km Walk Teoh Boon Lim MAS 1:30:37
Decathlon Vu Van Huyen VIE 7457 GR
(10.85, 7.13, 11.99, 1.98, 48.93/15.18, 38.10, 4.20, 55.86, 4:43.42)
4x100m Thailand 38.95 GR
(Wachara Sondee, Siriroj Darasuriyong, Sompote Suwannarangsri and Sittichai Suwonprateep)
4x400m Malaysia 3:07.95
(Mohd Zafril Zuslaini, Zaiful Zainal Abiding, Thipan Subramaniam, Amran Raj Krishnan)
Women
100m (-0.3) Thi Huong Vu VIE 11.47
200m (+0.8) Vu Thi Huong VIE 23.47
400m Saowalee Kaewchuy THA 54.75
800m Truong Thanh Hang VIE 2:02.39 GR
1500m Truong Thanh Hang VIE 4:11.60 GR
5000m Triyaningsih INA 15: 54.32 GR
10000m Triyaningsih INA 34:07.35
Marathon Sunisa Sailomyen THA 2:43:33
100m hurdles (-0.8) Dedeh Erawati INA 13.51
400m H Wassana Winatho THA 57.21
PV Roslinda Samsu MAS 4.00
HJ Bui Thi Nung VIE 1.88
LJ Marestella Torres PHI 6.31 (+0.4)
TJ Thitima Muangjan THA 13.85 (+1.3) GR
SP Zhang Guirong SIN 17.21
DT Dwi Ratanawati INA 50.05
HT Siti Shahidah Abdullah MAS 52.93
JT Buoban Phamang THA 55.97 GR
20km Walk Yuan Yu Fang MAS 1:41:47
Heptathlon Wassana Winatho THA 5889 GR
(13.97, 1.79, 11.82, 24.74/6.30, 34.90, 2:16.85)
4x100m Thailand 44.00 GR
(Sangwan Jaksunin, Khawpueak Supavadee, Orranut Klomdee and Nongnuch Sanrat)
4x400m Thailand 3:38.26
(Kunya Harnthong, Saowalee Kaewchuy, Treewadee Yongphan, Wassana Winatho)
GR- Games Record
