Indonesia Leading Nation in South East Asian Games.

With a total of five gold and three silvers, Indonesia heads the medal table as the
21st South East Asian Games rowing events come to an end on the Batu Dam in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Second on the medal table is Thailand with two gold medals, one silver and two bronze followed closely by Myanmar (formerly Burma) who totalled one gold, one silver and three bronze medals.

During two days of excellent conditions seven nations – Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar Singapore and Thailand competed in 8 events with full fields in nearly all events. The spread of medals and the improving standard of most of the crews show tremendous progress in the sport in this region of the world.

Highlights of the regatta include two gold medals for Thailand’s Puttharaksa Nikree in the women’s single scull and in the women’s lightweight double scull. “Puk” as she is known, competed in the single at the Sydney Olympics but has her eye set on the lightweight double for Athens with her partner Bussayamas Phaengkathok.

Thailand also picked up 3 other medals in the women’s lightweight coxless four, men’s single and men’s lightweight double sculls.

Myanmar recorded their first international gold medal in rowing with the women’s lightweight four, holding off a strong Indonesian crew. The Myanmar women were all recruited from dragon boat rowing three years ago, and stunned the more experienced nations with their win.

Indonesia dominated the men’s events winning all four of them. In the men’s single Lasmin defeated Philippines Olympic representative Benjamin Tolentino jr. by a length.

Indonesia went on to take the men’s pair, men’s lightweight double scull and men’s lightweight four as well as the women’s pair.

The men’s lightweight double was the closest race of the regatta with Jamaluddin and Muhammad Anwar (INA) defeating Thailand’s Piyadanai Pantangthai and Poi Ruthtanaphol by 0.37 seconds in 6:41.06. The Indonesian lightweight four recorded the good time of 6:16.54 seconds to hold off a fast finishing Philippines four by 0.48 seconds.

There were no medals for the host country Malaysia, but great plaudits for their wonderful course and fantastic organisation – including providing boats for all crews who needed them. Having started rowing from scratch less than five years ago, Malaysia can be proud of its 3 fourth placings. Also Vietnam, the last country to get on the water showed promise with a fourth in the men’s single and fifth in the men’s pair.

Most of the rowers now move immediately to Xian, China for the Asian Rowing Championships to commence in ten days time.

A full medal count table for the South East Asian Games Rowing Events is shown below. For more details about the Games go to the Olympic Council of Malaysia website.

Medal Count at South East Asian Games

Indonesia 5 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze, Total: 8
Thailand 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze, Total: 5
Myanmar 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze, Total: 5
Philippines 0 Gold, 3 Silver, 2 Bronze, Total: 5
Singapore 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze, Total: 1
Malaysia 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 0 Bronze, Total: 0
Vietnam 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 0 Bronze, Total: 0