Pattaya mayor Ittipol Khunploem, who is also President of the Windsurfing Association of Thailand, held a press conference on December 17 along with the members of the association at the Surf Kitchen in Jomtien beach to congratulate the Thai windsurfers on their success at the Asian Beach Games 2010, which were staged in Oman between December 5-16.
The mayor said the association had hopes that the team could bring home 3 medals, so to return with a total of 5 was more than could have been expected.
Pattaya mayor Ittipol Khunploem, seated center, and members of the Windsurf Association of Thailand, welcome back the successful sailors from the 2010 Asian Beach Games in Singapore.
Thailand had competitors in eight categories at the Games and Siriporn Kaewduangngam (a.k.a. Nong Dao) picked up one gold medal in the Big Techno-female event. Nong Dao was also a gold medalist at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore earlier this year.
Napalai Tharnsai then won a silver medal in the RX-female category while Navin Singsart did likewise in the Imgo-male category.
Eak Boonsawat received a bronze medal in the RSX-male event and Sarocha Pumprai also took a bronze medal in the equivalent RSX-female category.
The successes of these local sailors again proved that Pattaya city was very active in encouraging and providing training for young people to participate in sport up to and including the international level, the mayor said.
The association is also sending the athletes to the Asian Championships being held from January 11-17, 2011 in Singapore, and also to score collection rounds in Europe to qualify for the 2012 Olympics to be held in London, the mayor said.
The gold medalists at the Beach Games all received 200,000 baht from the national sports development funding while the silver medalists took home 100,000 baht and bronze medalists 50,000 baht.
There were a total of 26 nations participating in this year Asian Beach Games where Thai athletes gained 15 gold, 10 silver, and 11 bronze medals, for a grand total of 36 medals in 14 different sports categories.
Sarocha Pumprai won a bronze medal in the RSX-female category. (AP Photo/file)
