Despite losing at weight lifting, Thai remain hopeful

The weight lifting competition on Saturday at the 2008 Olympics this year had Thailand hoping to get a gold medal but the failure of Weightlifters Premsiri Bunpithak and her fellow partner Pensiri Laosirikul, two of Thailand’s top medal hopes, have caused tremendous disappointment among the enthusiastic Thais. Pensiri finished fifth, while Premsiri could not make a successful lift in three attempts in the snatch category and was eliminated in the 48kg division.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn who was expecting that the world will get to see the better sides of Thai athletes this year, had given all the possible support to the participants before the games began. She was personally present to witness the match at Beijing. Despite their defeat the duo won praise from Her Highness.

The burden to win Thailand’s first medal at the Beijing Games now rests on the shoulders of weightlifter Premwadee Charoenrattanatharakul, who will contest the 53kg class.

On the better side, middleweight Angkhan Chomphuphuang made a winning start in his Olympic debut in boxing. He beat South Korea’s Cho Deok-jin 9-3 on points in the round of 32. In swimming, Nimitta Thaveesupsoonthorn finished fifth in her heat in 5:02.18secs in the women’s 400m individual medley.

In the coming days, we will get to see some of the better Thai athletes compete to find Thailand a recognizable position at the Olympics 2008.