19 years ago on this day – Thailand achieved seven gold medals at the Kuala Lumpur 2001 Southeast Asian Games
The finals of the 2001 edition of the Southeast Asian Games were held nineteen years ago in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on this day. Thailand’s stars as Suban Pannon, Somjit Jongjohor, Sontaya Wongprates won gold medals in the event while Malaysia and Indonesia both earned two titles in 2001.
The Southeast Asian Games is the region main multisport event which holds every two years and boxing is one of the unique sports on the official schedule. Kuala Lumpur hosted the Southeast Asian Games fourth times in 2001 after 1965, 1971 and 1977. Another Malaysian city Seremban welcomed the participants of the Southeast Asian Games in 1989.
Thailand topped the medal table on the 2001 edition of the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur with seven gold medals. The host Malaysians claimed two gold medals and further four of their boxers also advanced to the finals of the SEA Games. Indonesia earned also two gold medals as the Malaysians but the team had only bronze medals besides to the titles. One of the top powers of the region, the Filipino team surprisingly was not able to get any gold medals in the 2001 Southeast Asian Games.
The first gold medal of the 2001 Southeast Asian Games was achieved by Bonyx Yusak Saweho at the pinweight (45kg) following his narrow success over Thailand’s Kaeo Pongprayoon who became Olympic silver medallist 11 years later. The 19-year-old Indonesian bagged his top result in the event and works as coach in the national team in our present days.
Thailand’s Asian Champion Suban Pannon was able to beat Malaysia’s Commonwealth Games winner Anak Biki Sapok in the final of the light flyweight (48kg) in 2001 while Philippines’ AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Harry Tannamor lost his quarter-final. Pannon has been working as coach with the Thai national team currently, same career road as Bonyx Yusak Saweho.
Thailand’s second gold medal was achieved by Somjit Jongjohor who eliminated his main rival Philippines’ Violito Payla already in the semi-finals and continued his winning path against Malaysia’s Rakib Ahmad in the final. Following his Southeast Asian Games success, Jongjohor became AIBA World Champion in 2003 and Olympic Champion in 2008.
1997 Asian Champion Sontaya Wongprates and Suttisak Samaksaman delivered the next two gold medals for Thailand in the 2001 Southeast Asian Games. Both defeated Filipino opponents, Wongprates was too quick for Arlan Lerio while the latter defeated Ramil Zambales at the featherweight (57kg).
Malaysia’s best boxer Adnan Yusoh controlled his top fights in Kuala Lumpur against Philippines’ Larry Semillano and Thailand’s Somchay Nakbalee taking the host nation’s first gold medal. Lightweight (60kg) prospect Adnan Yusoh became Malaysia’s first Asian Champion one year later in 2002. His fellow Mohammad Zainudin defeated his Thai opponent in the final of the light welterweight (63.5kg) capturing the host nation’s second gold medal in Kuala Lumpur.
Thailand’s trio Manon Boonjumnong, Dechapon Suwunnalird and Sydney 2000 Olympian Somchai Chimlum earned the next three gold medals in the event. Indonesia won the smallest category in the 2001 Southeast Asian Games and their veteran Olympian Albert Papilaya took the gold of the heaviest division at the light heavyweight (81kg).
List of the winners in the 2001 Southeast Asian Games
45kg: Bonyx Yusak Saweho, Indonesia
48kg: Suban Pannon, Thailand 51kg: Somjit Jongjohor, Thailand 54kg: Sontaya Wongprates, Thailand 57kg: Suttisak Samaksaman, Thailand
60kg: Adnan Yusoh, Malaysia 63.5kg: Mohammad Zainudin, Malaysia 67kg: Manon Boonjumnong, Thailand 71kg: Dechapon Suwunnalird, Thailand 75kg: Somchai Chimlum, Thailand 81kg: Albert Papilaya, Indonesia
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