Indonesia, Malaysia play catch-up in Olympic sports with northern neighbours

Put your leg on my shoulder: Thailand’s Banlung Tubtimdang (right) in action with Iran’s Hosseinpour Alireza during the men’s below 63kg gold medal contest. — Reuters

THAILAND hold the bragging rights among the South-East Asian countries heading towards the Paris Olympic Games next year if the outcome of the Hangzhou Asian Games is of any indication.

Our neighbours up north secured a total of 58 medals to place eighth in the overall standings.

The Thailand contingent comprising 940 athletes took part in 40 sports and raked in a medal haul of 12-14-32.

And seven out of the 12 gold medals came from the Olympic events.

The Thais showcased their rising talent in women’s golf scene with 21-year-old LPGA rookie Yubol Arpichaya taking the individual gold and leading the team to a victorious double.

Thai athletes also ruled the waves with a three-gold feat in the newly introduced Olympic sailing classes – boys’ and girls’ dinghy as well as in women’s windsurfing RS:X.

The Thais are certainly doing things right in taekwondo as well as they managed to take two golds through their reigning Olympic champion Panipak Wongpattanakit in the women’s below 49kg and Tubtimdang Banlung, who at 18 is now an Asian Games champion in the men’s below 63kg on top of winning a world championship silver medal from last year.

Indonesia are also shaping up well as they finished just ahead of Malaysia in 13th overall position with a total of 36 medals (7-11-18).

Three out of the seven gold medals won by Indonesia were from the Olympic disciplines in speed climbing, weightlifting and BMX cycling.

The only disappointment for Indonesia was the failure of the badminton team to finish without a medal for the first time at the Asian Games but weightlifter Rahmat Erwin Abdullah brought immense pride by breaking the world record in clean and jerk en route to a stunning triumph in the men’s below 73kg category.

Malaysia ended the Asian Games campaign in 14th overall spot with a total of 32 medals (6-8-18).

But only two of the six golds were Olympic events – in sailing and equestrian.

Sailor girl Nur Shazrin Abdul Latif is bound for Paris Olympics after winning the ICLA 6 competition and should be gunning for a top 20 finish there but equestrian rider Qabil Ambak is not likely to be on board.

Qabil did everything right to claim a historic gold for Malaysia in individual dressage but time is just not on the 43-year-old’s side with the qualifying campaign ending in two months time.

The 23-year-old Mohd Arif Afifuddin Malik also rose to the occasion to deliver the sixth gold for Malaysia in the karate competition but the sport is unfortunately not in the Paris Olympic programme.

National Sports Council director of athletes division Jefri Ngadirin believed the outcome would have been different if Olympian Azizulhasni Awang had taken part in cycling.

“I believe we would have won in one more Olympic event through Azizul if he had not pulled out at the last minute (due to injury). Azizul was in very good form after the Asian championships and would have been able to defend his sprint title here,” said Jefri.

The Philippines also celebrated two winners in Olympics sports through world championships silver medallist Ernest John Obiena in men’s pole vault and their heroic men’s basketball team, who bagged gold for the first time since 1962.

The Philippines finished 17th overall with a total of 18 medals (4-2-12). Singapore may only have won three gold medals this time but all were in Olympic events. Two came from sailing while the in-form sprinter Shanti Pereira pulled off a stunning 200m win in women’s track discipline.

Altogether, Singapore finished 20th overall with 16 medals (3-6-7). Vietnam may have finished on top of the SEA Games medal standings with a total of 136 gold medals but they have a lot to reflect on after yesterday.

The Vietnamese contingent finished just right behind Singapore with 27 medals but only three golds. And only one of the gold medal was an Olympic event – the men’s 10m air pistol event while sepaktakraw and karate contributed one each.

Cambodia were celebrating after winning 81 gold medals ahead of Malaysia when they hosted the SEA Games this year but at Asiad, they only won one bronze through the esport (Legend).