At time of press Team Phuket had won an impressive 21 medals, predominantly in martial arts events, since competition started on Monday (Aug 15).
The medalists include Pikanet Sukkin and Sukrit Somkid who both won gold in the karate-do dance category on Tuesday, with Korkot Wichitnavee securing silver in the same event.
Komkrit Kiednin bagged a gold medal in the 62kg weight class of nogi jiu-jitsu, with Rakpol Pholput claiming silver in the 84kg weight class.
Also on Tuesday the men’s taekwondo team won a gold in the team fight category. The team consists of Piyawat Saowaluksanakan, Nattaphoom Chitcheow, Shin Saito, Kan Suansaksorn and Phongsathorn Meksong.
Nuttawat Watthakanon won a silver medal in the men’s 54kg taekwondo, while Wantisanu Phanpitphat and Nattapon Buathong won bronze in the men’s poomsae freestyle taekwondo and Ketiwa Praipruk, Yokmanee Boonrit and Sarinporn Praipruk all won bronze in the women’s category of the same event.
The medals continued yesterday as Nana Madkla won a bronze medal in the women’s jiu-jitsu handle lock class in the 63kg weight category, Phakawadee Thammarat won bronze in the women’s 48kg class, Komkrit Kiednin won a silver in the men’s 56kg class and Noah Acira Andreasen won silver in the men’s 62kg class.
Finally, Natchaya Fuengnawakit won bronze in the women’s taekwondo 46kg weight class yesterday.
The opening ceremony of the competition was inagurated by Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports at the Kanchanaburi Games Central Stadium on Sunday. Joining Mr Pipat were Dr Kongsak Yodmanee, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), Lieutenant Thosaphol Chaikomin, Governor of Kanchanaburi Province, and selected dignitaries. Thammawat Wongcharoenyot, President of the Phuket Sports Association and Damrong Chaisena, Director of the SAT Phuket Office, were present as official representatives of Phuket province.
Following a speech by Mr Pipat there were a series of live perfomances, the highlight of which was a sequence entitled “Moving Together, Maitri, Sports, Friendship, Sustainability” which saw four separate elaborate performances showcasing Thai culture and history, the landscape, ethnicity of people and sustainability.
A parade of 77 athletes from provinces all over the country then marched through the stadium before a torch lighting ceremony was held to officially mark the start of the competition.
The Games run until Aug 29 and are available to watch for free on the T Sports 7 TV channel, the T Sports 7 app, which can be downloaded for free on both ios and android systems, and on the T Sports 7 Facebook Fanpage.
There are close to 15,000 athletes participating in 59 different sports at the Games with a further 4,100 support staff, coaches and medical officers involved.