Seven national sports associations including the Thailand Volleyball Association (TVA) have set their sights on delivering a combined total of 18 gold medals to add to Thailand’s haul at the forthcoming 33rd SEA Games next month.
Representatives from the TVA and other associations — basketball, baseball, softball, handball, woodball, and teqball — attended a press briefing yesterday to announce their medal targets for the biennial sporting event, which will be held from December 9 to 20 in Bangkok, Chon Buri, and Songkhla.
Reigning champions Thailand reaffirmed their status as the regional powerhouse in women’s indoor volleyball by capturing a record-extending 16th title at the previous Games in Cambodia.
The TVA expects the Thai women’s team to continue their dominance and aims for another gold in the women’s beach volleyball tournament.
“The women’s team has undergone intensive training. We divided our athletes into three groups: the first consists of world-class players competing overseas, the second includes domestic players, and the third features U-21 and U-19 athletes,” said Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai, head coach of the national women’s team.
“Our preparations for both the men’s and women’s teams, in both indoor and beach volleyball, are progressing in the same direction. The SEA Games remain an important event for us, and we aim to retain our number one spot in the region.
“All players currently competing abroad have confirmed their return for national duty at the Games. Despite the short preparation period, I believe those playing in professional leagues overseas will have no problem adjusting to the team. Overall, we hope to win gold in both women’s indoor and beach volleyball. For the men’s sides, we aim to reach at least the final,” he added.
There are four gold medals up for grabs in basketball at the Games, and the Basketball Sport Association of Thailand (BSAT) is targeting two of them.
“In the five-a-side event, we aim to set a new standard in organising the competition by banning naturalised players to ensure fairness, allowing each team to use only local athletes. This will make the competition tighter. We hope our men’s team can reach the final, while the women’s team is expected to win gold.
“As for the 3x3 event, there will be no such restriction, in line with international standards. We have strong athletes in both teams, and we expect to win at least one gold from either the men’s or women’s side. Overall, we hope to claim at least two gold medals in total,” said Piyapong Piroon, BSAT secretary-general.
Meanwhile, the national associations for baseball and handball are hoping to contribute two gold medals each, while woodball and teqball are targeting five golds apiece.
With the latest forecasts, Thailand’s projected gold-medal tally at the home Games has risen to 129, based on expectations from the 33 sports associations.
