Thailand likely to take overall title at SEAG
Thailand likely to take overall title at SEAG
JAKARTA (JP): Host Thailand is more likely than Indonesia to
grab the overall title at the 18th Southeast Asian Games in
Chiang Mai, a Thai senior sports official claims.
Chairat Kamnuan, deputy chairman of Thailand Olympic
Committee, said in Chiang Mai yesterday that Thailand would get
113 gold medals while Indonesia would take 105 at the Dec. 9 to
Dec. 17 games.
He obtained the figures after asking his national sports
associations to predict how many gold medals Thailand would win
at the games compared to Indonesia's sports associations.
Thailand's estimation does not differ much from the one made
by Indonesia's noted sports observer, Mangombar Ferdinand
Siregar, last week.
Siregar said Indonesia stood little chance of defending its
title. He said it was realistic for Thailand to scoop around 110
to 120 gold medals while Indonesia might win 90 to 95.
The 18th SEA Games offers a total of 334 gold medals, 334
silver medals and 421 bronze medals in 28 sports. Indonesia will
not participate in rugby and hockey.
Thailand beat Indonesia in the 1985 meet in Bangkok by 27 gold
medals. Host Thailand hauled 91 golds, 65 silvers and 58 bronzes.
Indonesia finished second with 64 golds, 75 silvers and 72
bronzes.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej is scheduled on Dec. 9 to open the
games in the main 20,000-seat stadium. The opening ceremony, also
intended to mark the 700th anniversary of Chiang Mai, will start
at 5.20 p.m. with a performance of the Chiang Mai Wind Orchestra
and end at 7.30 p.m.
At 6 p.m. the 18th SEA Games will be opened, with a
performance five minutes later by hundreds of dancers entitled
"To Play and To Fight." The dancers will form the Thai word for
welcome "Sawasdee."
As for security, an official with Thailand police, Kovid
Bhakdiphumi, told Antara yesterday that 4,000 police personnel
will stand on guard during the games. Police dogs will also be
installed around the main stadium and in the athlete's village,
whose gates will be equipped with detectors and guarded by 20
policewomen.
First day
Meanwhile, Indonesia dominated the seeding list at the
badminton competition due to start on the first day of the
biennial event on Dec. 9. Badminton, basketball, sepak takraw,
tennis and volleyball will serve as the Games openers.
The badminton draw received by the National Sports Council
yesterday put both Indonesian men's and women's teams at the top
of the list. In the individual events, which begin after the team
events, all Indonesian representatives were seeded first and
second, except in the men's doubles.
A Joko Suprianto-led Indonesian men's team received a bye in
the first round and will set off its campaign on Dec. 10 against
either Myanmar or Singapore. Joko and company are drawn to meet
Malaysia in the final.
The Indonesian women's team also got a first-round bye, before
taking on the winner of the Malaysia-Philippines match.
Meanwhile in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, head of the
province's sports council Suwarna said 12 SEA Games-bound
athletes from the province would be given an allowance of US$500
each.
Suwarna, who is also the province's deputy governor, said the
reward was a sign of attention and moral support from the people
of the province. The money will be given by Governor H.M. Ardans
today.
Suwarna declined to say whether additional money would be
given to his athletes who succeed in bringing home gold medals.
(arf/amd)