What are Thailand's chances of success for the kingdom's 51 competitors in the Olympics? Today, in the first of a five-part series we look at the boxers, considered Thailand's best bet for landing gold medals
Story By WANCHAI RUJAWONGSANTI
Thailand has won 17 Olympic medals with boxing accounting for 11 and the sport is again the country's top hope at the 2008 Games.
At the 2004 Olympics, the boxing team, who clinched one gold, one silver and one bronze medals, were overshadowed by the weightlifting squad who took home two golds and two bronzes.
But this time round, the pugilists look to be a better bet than the lifters.
There will be eight boxers in Beijing - light-flyweight Amnat Ruenroeng, flyweight Somjit Jongjohor, bantamweight Worapoj Petchkoom, featherweight Sailom Adi, lightweight Pichai Sayotha, light-welterweight Manus Boonjumnong, welterweight Non Boonjumnong and middleweight Angkhan Chomphuphuang.
The Beijing tournament is wide open as powerhouses Cuba, who grabbed five golds in Athens, have been hit by defections and have a relatively inexperienced squad.
According to the Thai amateur boxing bosses, almost all the eight Thai boxers are capable of finishing on the podium.
Taweep Jantararoj, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Thailand (Abat), has categorised the squad into three groups based on their chances in Beijing.
Defending light-welterweight champion Manus, Somjit and Non are the team's best prospects, according to Taweep.
"They are experienced and skilful and their opponents look beatable," he said.
Manus was the only Thai boxer who won gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics, while Somjit crashed out in the round of 16. It will be the first Olympics for Non, who is Manus' younger brother.
In the second group are Amnat, Athens Games silver medallist Worapoj and Angkhan who won gold in wushu at the 2002 Asian Games. The outside chances are Sailom Adi and Pichai.
Manus, 28, is still regarded as Thailand's best amateur boxer but his problem is his fitness. If he is fully fit, he could become the first Thai athlete to win two Olympic gold medals.
According to the bookies, Manus is second ranked in the light-welterweight division with Kazakhstan's Serik Sapiyev, the world champion in 2005 and 2007, the favourite.
But Manus beat him 22-18 in the semi-finals at the 2006 Asian Games on his way to winning gold.
It will be the last Olympics for Somjit who suffered a major blow in his career when he lost to Cuba's Yuriorkis Gamboa in the round of 16 in Athens.
The Thai, now 33, built a three-point lead after three rounds but ran out of steam in the final round. Gamboa went on to take the gold.
"I have learned a lesson from Athens. Since the loss, I have tried to feel relaxed in every bout. It works and makes me feel more confident," he said.
But standing in his way in Beijing could be boxers from the US, Russia and Azerbaijan. American Raushee Warren, who beat Somjit in the flyweight final at the 2007 World Championships, is hot favourite.
Non, formerly Manon, is skilful but he sometimes fails to control his temper. He is ranked third in the welterweight division.
Ex-convict Amnat could be a dark horse. He has been one of the fastest rising stars since he served out his jail term on pick-pocketing charges.
However, he could face a formidable task against favourite Zou Shiming of China and Filipino Harry Tanamor as well as opponents from Russia and Kazakhstan.
Worapoj has not yet regained his form that led him to clinching silver in Athens. The bookies install him as fifth favourite behind fighters from Russia, Mongolia, Cuba and India.
Angkhan has been successful to a degree in three combat sports - Muay Thai, wushu and amateur boxing. He is ranked fifth behind boxers from Russia, Kazakhstan, Cuba and Venezuela.
Pichai is also ranked fifth in the lightweight class, while Sailom is ranked outsider at 150-1 to go all the way in the featherweight category.
Noticeably, most Thai boxers who have won Olympic medals were not favourites including Somluck Kamsing (1996), Wijarn Ponlid (2000) and Manus.
Fate and luck in the draw could determine the results and some in the 2008 sqaud may defy the odds to take home a medal.
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Story By WANCHAI RUJAWONGSANTI
Thailand has won 17 Olympic medals with boxing accounting for 11 and the sport is again the country's top hope at the 2008 Games.
At the 2004 Olympics, the boxing team, who clinched one gold, one silver and one bronze medals, were overshadowed by the weightlifting squad who took home two golds and two bronzes.
But this time round, the pugilists look to be a better bet than the lifters.
There will be eight boxers in Beijing - light-flyweight Amnat Ruenroeng, flyweight Somjit Jongjohor, bantamweight Worapoj Petchkoom, featherweight Sailom Adi, lightweight Pichai Sayotha, light-welterweight Manus Boonjumnong, welterweight Non Boonjumnong and middleweight Angkhan Chomphuphuang.
The Beijing tournament is wide open as powerhouses Cuba, who grabbed five golds in Athens, have been hit by defections and have a relatively inexperienced squad.
According to the Thai amateur boxing bosses, almost all the eight Thai boxers are capable of finishing on the podium.
Taweep Jantararoj, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Thailand (Abat), has categorised the squad into three groups based on their chances in Beijing.
Defending light-welterweight champion Manus, Somjit and Non are the team's best prospects, according to Taweep.
"They are experienced and skilful and their opponents look beatable," he said.
Manus was the only Thai boxer who won gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics, while Somjit crashed out in the round of 16. It will be the first Olympics for Non, who is Manus' younger brother.
In the second group are Amnat, Athens Games silver medallist Worapoj and Angkhan who won gold in wushu at the 2002 Asian Games. The outside chances are Sailom Adi and Pichai.
Manus, 28, is still regarded as Thailand's best amateur boxer but his problem is his fitness. If he is fully fit, he could become the first Thai athlete to win two Olympic gold medals.
According to the bookies, Manus is second ranked in the light-welterweight division with Kazakhstan's Serik Sapiyev, the world champion in 2005 and 2007, the favourite.
But Manus beat him 22-18 in the semi-finals at the 2006 Asian Games on his way to winning gold.
It will be the last Olympics for Somjit who suffered a major blow in his career when he lost to Cuba's Yuriorkis Gamboa in the round of 16 in Athens.
The Thai, now 33, built a three-point lead after three rounds but ran out of steam in the final round. Gamboa went on to take the gold.
"I have learned a lesson from Athens. Since the loss, I have tried to feel relaxed in every bout. It works and makes me feel more confident," he said.
But standing in his way in Beijing could be boxers from the US, Russia and Azerbaijan. American Raushee Warren, who beat Somjit in the flyweight final at the 2007 World Championships, is hot favourite.
Non, formerly Manon, is skilful but he sometimes fails to control his temper. He is ranked third in the welterweight division.
Ex-convict Amnat could be a dark horse. He has been one of the fastest rising stars since he served out his jail term on pick-pocketing charges.
However, he could face a formidable task against favourite Zou Shiming of China and Filipino Harry Tanamor as well as opponents from Russia and Kazakhstan.
Worapoj has not yet regained his form that led him to clinching silver in Athens. The bookies install him as fifth favourite behind fighters from Russia, Mongolia, Cuba and India.
Angkhan has been successful to a degree in three combat sports - Muay Thai, wushu and amateur boxing. He is ranked fifth behind boxers from Russia, Kazakhstan, Cuba and Venezuela.
Pichai is also ranked fifth in the lightweight class, while Sailom is ranked outsider at 150-1 to go all the way in the featherweight category.
Noticeably, most Thai boxers who have won Olympic medals were not favourites including Somluck Kamsing (1996), Wijarn Ponlid (2000) and Manus.
Fate and luck in the draw could determine the results and some in the 2008 sqaud may defy the odds to take home a medal.
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