Thailand’s women’s 4x100m relay team won silver at the Asian Games in Nagoya on Monday, edging hosts Japan by just 0.01 second, as Thailand added one silver and two bronze medals to its tally on the ninth day of competition.
The Thai quartet of Manasda Sarmano, Suphanada Phetcharaksa, Suphanich Poolkerd and Jirapatchara Khan-ont-a clocked 43.51 seconds, finishing behind China, which won gold in 42.96 seconds. Japan took bronze in 43.52 seconds. Thailand’s time was its best of the season.
The silver was Thailand’s second consecutive Asian Games medal in the women’s 4x100m relay, following silver at the 2022 Hangzhou Games.
The men’s 4x100m relay team, meanwhile, finished fourth in 38.49 seconds, just 0.06 second behind South Korea, which took bronze in 38.43 seconds. China won gold in 38.17 seconds, with Chinese Taipei taking silver in 38.32 seconds.
There was confusion over the result after the competition website initially displayed South Korea as disqualified, briefly making Thailand appear to have moved into third place and won bronze. The result was later corrected, with South Korea confirmed as the bronze medallist and Thailand fourth.
The Thai team comprised Natawat Iamudom, Sorrarat Dabbang, Chayut Khongprasit and Puripol Boonson, who had already won gold in both the men’s 100m and 200m.
Thailand also secured two bronze medals on Monday.
Subenrat Insaeng won bronze in the women’s discus with a throw of 61.43 metres, finishing behind China’s Feng Bin and Jiang Zhiqiao.
In table tennis, Suthasini Sawettabut and Orawan Paranang claimed bronze in the women’s doubles after losing 0-4 to China’s Wang Manyu and Kuai Man in the semi-finals.
The medal was Thailand’s first Asian Games medal in the women’s doubles event and came 68 years after Thailand won its first Asian Games table-tennis medal.
Suthasini wrote on her Facebook page that her final Asian Games appearance as an athlete had been a meaningful one, after she and Orawan won bronze in the women’s doubles — a medal that Thai table tennis had waited 68 years to win.
“68 years of waiting… and the final chapter for a woman on the Asian Games stage. These Asian Games are my last as an athlete, and I cannot imagine a more meaningful way to write the final chapter than by ending it with a bronze medal in the women’s doubles — a medal that Thai table tennis has waited 68 years to win."
Winning an Asian Games medal once is already difficult, but winning medals at two consecutive Asian Games is even harder. What we achieved last time was already something special… but this time, it is beyond words, she wrote.
The three medals lifted Thailand’s overall tally to nine gold, eight silver and 12 bronze, or 29 medals, keeping the country in sixth place in the standings at the end of September 28.
Thailand has several more medal opportunities on Tuesday, led by badminton star Kunlavut Vitidsarn, who reached the men’s singles final after beating Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan 21-13, 21-15 in the semi-finals.
Kunlavut is guaranteed at least a silver medal and has become the first Thai men’s singles player to reach an Asian Games final. He will face Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew in Tuesday’s gold-medal match.
Thailand will also face Malaysia in the men’s sepak takraw final after beating Vietnam 2-0 in the semi-finals. Thai athletes will also compete in the mixed 4x100m and men’s 4x400m relay finals.
