Thai swimming team reigns in the pool<\/p>\n
By Sylvia Gratia Miranda<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Thailand swam away with four gold medals on the
\nopening day of the swimming competition at the Senayan Swimming
\nStadium.<\/p>\n
First places came in the 200 meters women backstroke, 400
\nmeters men's individual medley, and 4x200 meters men's and
\nwomen's freestyle relays.<\/p>\n
Chonlathorn Vorathamrong opened her team's campaign with
\n2:20.22 in the women's backstroke, followed by Silvy Triana of
\nIndonesia in 2:21.64.<\/p>\n
Ratapong Sirisanont won the 400 meters individual medley in
\n4:29.87, failing to better his Asian Games' record of 4:20.03.<\/p>\n
Teammate Pathunyu Yimsomruay took the silver (4:30.89) and
\nIndonesian hope Albert C. Sutanto third in 4:32.37 secs.<\/p>\n
In the 4x200 meters men's freestyle relay, Thailand (7:44.81)
\nwas too strong for Malaysia (7:48.11) and Indonesia (7:48.97).<\/p>\n
The real battle was for second place. Malaysia, in third until
\nthe last lap, was carried to the silver by Azlan Wan, who
\nsprinted away from Indonesian anchor Christian Johannes.<\/p>\n
In the women's relay, Thailand pipped Indonesia at the post in
\n8:29.89. The host squad finished back in 8:32.86 and Singapore
\nwas third in 8:53.19.<\/p>\n
Singapore' star Joscelin Yeo stole some of the attention by
\ngrabbing two gold medals and one bronze. She took her first gold
\nin the 100 meters freestyle (0:57.89). Leading right from the
\nstart, Yeo was ahead by a stroke over Chaterine Surya of
\nIndonesia at the 50-meter turn.<\/p>\n
Despite her rigorous training and all-out performance, the
\nIndonesian finished a full second behind in 0:58.91. Thailand's
\nRavee Intporn-Udom was third (0:59.14).<\/p>\n
Yeo's second gold was secured in the 200 meters individual
\nmedley (2:19.23), followed by Thai Ravee (2:19.70) and fellow
\nSingaporean Yu Fen May Ooi (2:22.34).<\/p>\n
Indonesians Rita Mariani and Elsa Manora Nasution were in
\nfourth and fifth places.<\/p>\n
Raymond Papa from the Philippines clocked 2:00.96 in the men's
\n200 meters backstroke, bettering his 2:03.79 from the 1995 SEA
\nGames in Chiang Mai.<\/p>\n
Behind him were Malaysia's Lim Keng Liat (2:02.89) and
\nThailand's Dulyarit Phuangthong (2:05.54).<\/p>\n
It was an early birthday present for Papa, who turns 21
\ntomorrow.<\/p>\n
"I never expected to take all the gold medals, but I wanted to
\nbreak my records," he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesian diver Nani Suryani had to settle for second place
\nto Thailand's Tammaros Sukrutai in the women's 3-meter
\nspringboard.<\/p>\n
Nani's trainer Harly Ramayani said Nani felt the judging was
\nunfair.<\/p>\n
"She was confident that she would get the gold, because she
\nhas performed her dives beautifully and she felt lucky because
\nIndonesia is the host," Harly said, adding that the host country
\nshould have a right to send two judges while the other countries
\nare only allowed to send one.<\/p>\n
"Thailand's judges helped their athletes by giving them high
\npoints at the Chiang Mai's SEA Games," she said.<\/p>",
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