Thailand moves to top in SEA Games

By Primastuti Handayani and Ivy Susanti

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): Thailand left Indonesia in its wake on the second day of the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on Monday, dominating the swimming events to lead the overall medal tally with 19 golds.

Malaysia moved into second place with 15 golds, and Indonesia slipped from first to third with 12.

Thailand won three of the six golds on offer in the pool, and Malaysia regained its supremacy in track and field with four golds.

Indonesia's lone gold in the pool was contributed by veteran Richard Sam Bera, who retained the 100-meter freestyle in a new meet record of 51.03 seconds. His time beat the 51.31 set by compatriot Wisnu Wardhana in 1993.

Ratapong Sirisanont of Thailand improved his SEA Games record in the 200m individual medley in 2:04.26. He set the old record of 2:04.74 at the 1995 Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Joscelin Yeo of Singapore also notched a new personal best in the 100 meters breaststroke in 1:11.36, 0.01 of a second faster than her best time in the 1995 Games.

All six winning swimmers Monday were record-breakers. Four track and field marks also fell while another was equaled.

From the track, American-Thai Trecia Roberts produced the sole new record by clocking 12.85 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles, slicing 0.81 of a second off the mark of Elma Muros of the Philippines from the 1991 Games.

Indonesia won four silvers and one bronze on the track.

The national team is targeting four more golds in the men's and women's team events in badminton and tennis on Tuesday.

Indonesia meets Thailand in the men's event and the Philippines in the women's competition on the tennis courts. In badminton, the Indonesian men's shuttlers will face archrivals Malaysia and the women shuttlers take on Thailand.

Indonesia also won two of three golds on offer in pencak silat. Trio Hermy Setyawati, Siti Sugiharti and Siti Dwi Astuti won the gold in the women's open wiraloka martial art performance. Widya Astuti and Heni Marhendarawati took the gold in the wirasangga doubles event.

There was joy for the host which broke its six-year Games duck by winning a gold in pencak silat through Tajuddin Shahepol Radin who won the wiralaga solo play.

At the shooting range, Asian Games veteran Sarmunah scored 102 to win the women's individual double trap. However, she failed to anchor the national trio to the team gold. Sarmunah, Titin Indahwati and Rina Dwi Kusumaningtyas finished second with a total score of 261, only seven behind gold medalists Thailand.

Indonesia, aiming to win the gold in soccer after an eight- year drought, beat host Brunei Darussalam 3-0 to top Group B. Goals were scored by Uston Nawawi in the fifth minute, Bima Sakti from the penalty box in the 29th and Ali Sunan in the 87th. Indonesia next faces 1997 Games semifinalist Vietnam. Defending champion Thailand meets Singapore in the other semifinal.

In the boxing ring, Indonesia's bantamweight boxer Antonius Joni cruised to the semifinals after beating Phouthone Soulavane of Laos 14-4.

However, there was a surprise in the lightweight division. Indonesia's Asian Games silver medalist Willem Papilaya was sent packing in a 6-10 defeat by Romeo Brin of the Philippines in the quarterfinals.

Indonesia is hoping to pick up a slew of the 38 gold medals available on Tuesday. The country expects two golds each from track and field and badminton.

Richard is also expected to retain his gold in the men's 50 meters freestyle on Wednesday.

National cyclists also are the country's best hopes to win two golds in the men's and women's downhill events.

Tae kwon do, pencak silat and karate are other sports Indonesia expects to strike gold in on Tuesday.