Thai boxer wins second-ever gold for his country

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Sydney: Thailand's Wijan Ponlid outslugged Kazakhstan's world flyweight boxing champion to claim only his country's second-ever Olympic gold on the final day of the Sydney Games on Sunday.

Ponlid beat Bulat Jumadilov 19-12 in the 51 kg final and then, draped in his national flag, held up a framed photograph of his country's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej before screaming fans.

"It was not difficult today. I won because of the support of the King of Thailand and the Thai people," Ponlid said.

Ponlid, a 24-year-old police official, follows in the footsteps of Somluck Kamsing, a national hero since he gave his country their first Olympic gold in 1996.

Kamsing was beaten in the quarter-finals in Sydney. Another Thai boxer, Pornchai Thongburan, took a bronze in the 71 kg class. Thailand also won a women's weightlifting bronze in Sydney.

China are the runaway leader in Asia with 28 golds, a major improvement of 12 over Atlanta, while South Korea have improved from seven to eight and Japan have five golds, two more than four years ago.

Japan look to marathon

Japan will also be looking to end the Olympics on a high note in the men's marathon, one of the most watched sporting events in Japan where millions got out of bed earlier last Sunday to watch Naoko Takahashi win the women's marathon.

The Japanese men are not as favoured as Takahashi was going into her race but could still threaten.

Led by world bronze medallist Nobuyuki Sato, they also hope to make up for Japan's poor showing at the Atlanta Games in 1996 when none of the runners from the marathon-mad country made the top eight.

Sato, who recorded a personal best of 2:08:48 in 1998, has to be considered a prospect following his third place in Seville in 1999.

The other Japanese threats are TakayukiInubushi and Shinji Kawashima.Inubushi set an Asian record of 2:06:57 when second at the Berlin Marathon in September last year and was fourth in the Tokyo International Marathon in February.

Kawashima, whose form has picked up recently, grabbed a second place behind Spain's Martin Fiz at Lake Biwa in Japan this year.

"It's going to be tough, but I hope to do my best," Kawashima said.



(c) Reuters Limited.