Suthasini, Padasak make Thailand proud

Suthasini, Padasak make Thailand proud
By The Nation 

Thailand’s Padasak Tanviriyavechakul and Suthasini Sawettabut in action yesterday.

Thailand won the SEA Games table tennis mixed doubles gold medal for the first time in 32 years when Suthasini Sawettabut and Padasak Tanviriyavechakul defeated Yu Mengyu and Pang Xuejie of Singapore 3-1 yesterday.

At the Petaling Jaya Stadium, the women’s rugby sevens team underlined their supremacy over Singapore by beating them 17-10 in a rematch of 2015 final and retaining their gold medal.

The two wins increased Thailand’s gold medal tally to five. Earlier Thailand won the men’s chinlone event 1, women’s water polo and men’s sepak takraw regu team gold medals.

Women's rugby sevens.

Suthasini and Padasak fought back after the first set loss to reign supreme in the final with a 7-11 11-9 11-6 11-8 victory.

The last Thais to claim the Games table tennis mixed doubles were Manop Kanthawong and Kwanta Kumutpongpanich in Bangkok in 1985.  Yesterday, Suthasini and Padasak made amends for their defeat to Yang Zi and Yu of Singapore two years ago with a brilliant rally.

 “My coach Korakij [Sermkijseree] was very happy with the outcome. He had been waiting for the mixed doubles gold medal for a long time. Padasak and I have been playing together since we were young. That, indeed, is an advantage,” said the 23-year-old Suthasini, who claimed her first SEA Games gold medal in the women’s singles two years ago in Singapore which made her the first Thai to win the event since Patcharin Loysawai in 1983.

Suthasini and Padasak 

“It will be tougher in the women’s singles event this year. Singapore have done their homework. They will make sure that it won’t slip out of their fingers. However, I will focus on every point and be happy with the results,” Suthasini said.

For 21-year-old Padasak, it was the first gold medal in the Games. “It was always my dream to win a gold medal. I finally achieved it. I hope to win more,” said Padasak, who later on the day won the men's doubles bronze with Supanut Wisutmaythangkoon. 

Men's futsal between Thailand and Indonesia 

In the most shocking result for Thai delegation in this Games,  the Thai men's futsal team were stunned 4-2 by Indonesia in the round-robin competition.  It was the first defeat in nine years for the defending champions. To retain the title, Thailand must win their next two games against Malaysia and Myanmar and hope Indonesia would not win the remaining three matches.

Thailand also won a silver through Wipawan Pawitayalarp, Kittikorn Nongbueng, Kanapos Taytaisong and Prutirat Rattanakul in the equestrian endurance. Warit Khuntaraporn claimed the individual bronze in the event.  

In men’s rugby, Thailand beat the Philippines 26-7 in the third place battle and earned the bronze medal. Acrher Witthaya Tanwong won the bronze medal from individual recurve events. 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/sports/30324384

 

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