The Kingdom was rewarded with two golds it fully expected – in sepak takraw -– as well as one it didn’t, in paragliding.

The men’s team regu outperformed long-time rivals Malaysia 2-0 to claim their sixth straight gold medal

The A team routed out Malaysia A 21-15 21-15 before the B team, spearheaded by long-time national player Pornchai Kaokaew, survived a gritty first set by Malaysia B to win 21-19 21-13.

The men’s sepak takraw regu team event has been dominated by Thailand ever since the quadrennial competition was held in Bangkok 20 years ago.

“I have to give credit to the players after they started the tournament with several aspects to adjust. But they kept improving, like going upstairs step by step,” said national head coach Kamon Tankimhong, who was especially effusive in his praise for the B Team.

‘’I told them if they didn’t have the guts to fight, there was no way they would win,” he added. “They proved in the final [that they did have guts] – they recovered quickly from going behind to get back into the game and win.”

Pronchai Kaokaew

The 37-year-old Pornchai has won a record nine Asian Games sepak takraw gold medals, breaking the previous mark of seven golds by former teammate Suebsak Pansueb and Suriyan Pae-chan.

“I promised my kids that I would win a ninth Asian Games gold medal. Now I will try to win my tenth,” said the veteran player, who will have his chance in the team doubles.

The Thai women emulated the men by easing to a 2-0 victory over South Korea in Palembang, their fourth Asian Games title.

The A team won 21-16 21-7 and the B team sealed victory 21-14 21-15.

Thailand’s pre-Games target was to claim a clean sweep of all four sepak takraw events they entered.

The other two are the men’s team doubles, which will be played later this week, and the women’s quadrant, which will be next week.

“This is a boost for the whole sepak takraw team,” said Kamon. “But we will never relax unless we will all four golds.”

Earlier in West Java, in women’s paragliding team accuracy, the Thailand team of Chantika Chaisanuk, Nunnapat Phuchong and Narubhorn Wathaya scored 2,045 points to win the gold medal, ahead of hosts Indonesia (2,140).

The men’s team took bronze with 1,964 points, while Indonesia (1,057) took gold, followed by South Korea (1,712).

The Royal Aeronautic Sports Association of Thailand president Group Captain Virayudh Tishyasarin said: “The result was what we expected. Our athletes were not nervous which is why they performed well. We wish to have more support on aeronautic sports from Thai fans.”

Naphasawan Yangpaiboon

Despite just recovering from high fever two days ago, Naphasawan Yangpaiboon won the silver in women’s 25m pistol after she losing the third shoot-off in the final two against India’s Rahi Jeevan Sarnobat 2-4.

In wushu, Suchaya Bualuang won the bronze medal from women’s sanda 60kg.

Winning Wednesday lifted Thailand into the top 10 on the medal table, from 11th to seventh.

Thailand now has four gold medals, including the triumph by the women’s taekwondo poomsae team on Sunday.

Thai sports officials went to Indonesia with a target of 17 golds.

The Kingdom’s A team trounced their Malaysian side 2-0 sets before the B team won the second point for Thailand following another straight set win.

Thailand have dominated the men’s team regu since 1998 Games in Bangkok.

The Thai team scored 2,045 to win the gold medal with the host team coming second with 2,140 points.

The Kingdom’s previous gold medal came from women’s taekwondo poomsae team on Sunday.

Diaz, the silver medallist from the Rio Olympics, pipped Turkmenistan’s Kristina Shermetova by just one kilogramme to win the women’s 53kg class.

“It was pressure for me for how many months,” Diaz told AFP.

“At the Olympics no one expected me to win but at Asian Games everyone expected me to win a medal, a gold medal.

“For months I couldn’t sleep, my training got ruined but with positive people surrounding me I got through it. They inspired and motivated me.”

Earlier Irawan, also a silver medallist in Rio, dominated the men’s 62kg competition to take Indonesia’s first weightlifting gold of the Games in front of President Joko Widodo.

Veteran Irawan, 29, has won multiple major medals in a senior weightlifting career stretching back to his bronze at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, but had never before set foot on the top step of the podium.

“I’m a proud Indonesian and pleased for the country to win gold,” Irawan told AFP after receiving his medal from president Widodo.

“I feel like everything I have fought for I have now finally achieved.”

Diaz raised 92kg in the snatch and 115kg in the clean and jerk for a 207kg total that proved just enough to edge out Shermetova (93kg snatch, 113kg clean and jerk). Thailand’s Khambao Surodchana took the bronze on 201kg.

“I feel this is a great stepping stone to Tokyo 2020,” Diaz said.

“I will compete in the world championships in Turkmenistan in November. I don’t know if I will win because I will now go back to school,” said the 27-year-old.

Irawan’s almost flawless performance of strength and control was capped by a 170kg lift in the clean and jerk which raised the roof at the Jakarta International Expo.

To screams from his adoring home fans, Irawan saluted the country’s president seated in front of him, broke into a huge smile and flashed a thumbs-up to the packed 2,000-capacity venue after setting a winning total of 311kg.

Vietnam’s Trinh van Vinh needed a mammoth personal best of 179kg with the final lift of the competition to snatch gold, but he crumpled in the attempt.

Finally Irawan could savour the golden moment that had always eluded him in the past, after Olympic bronzes at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, silver at Rio two years ago and Asian Games bronzes in 2010 and 2014.

President Widodo presented him with his medal before he saluted again throughout his country’s anthem and flag-raising.

Trinh consoled himself with silver, and the bronze went to Uzbekistan’s Adkhamjon Ergashev.

Irawan was ecstatic to be halfway to his stated career aims of winning both Asian Games and Olympic gold.

“I’m very thankful to my coach and team, also the people where I am from, for supporting me,” he said. “I want to win gold in Tokyo 2020.”

Chaudhary’s 240.7 put him ahead of Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsuda, who scored 239.7, and fellow Indian Abhishek Verma’s 219.3.

He captured India’s first shooting gold medal of the Games in Indonesia after Deepak Kumar and Lakshay Lakshay had to settle for silver in the 10m air rifle and men’s trap.

“What were you doing when you were 16? Saurabh Chaudhary is shattering records,” tweeted Indian cricket great Virender Sehwag, as news of Chaudhary’s victory broke.

In the men’s 50m rifle three positions, China’s Hui Zicheng saw off his Indian challenger Sanjeev Rajput to take gold with a score of 453.3.

The 2016 World Cup Final silver medallist claimed China’s fifth gold medal of the shooting competition, putting them well ahead of second-placed Taiwan on two.

In the inaugural mixed trap team event, Alain Moussa and Ray Bassil secured Lebanon’s first gold medal of these Asian Games.

They saw off challenges from the Taiwanese and Chinese pairs, who placed second and third respectively.

Chen, 16, was due to begin her floor exercise when a tune — not the one she had chosen — began blaring from the speakers at the arena in Jakarta.

The teenager, who won the Gymnastics World Cup in Melbourne earlier this year, was forced to wait for several minutes on the edge of the mat before the correct music was located and switched on.

However, Chen appeared unphased.

“It was fine actually, I prepared for this. It’s an international competition so anything can happen,” she said.

Chen, who scored 55.950 points, said she was “excited to get gold” but added that she could turn in an even better performance in the team events.

Compatriot Luo Huan grabbed silver with 54.550 and North Korean Kim Su Jong took bronze with 53.600.

Meanwhile it was a disappointing night for India’s golden girl Dipa Karmakar.

Despite progressing to the balance beam final, she failed to qualify for the vault — an event that got her bronze in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

It was there that she pulled off the so-called “vault of death” — a move so dangerous that some want it banned.

In July Karmakar bagged India’s first ever gold medal in a global gymnastic event in Turkey.

Oksana Chusovitina, Uzbekistan’s 43-year-old star, qualified for the women’s vault in third place behind South Korea’s Yeo Seo-jeong and North Korea’s Pyon Rye Yong.

Liu, the Asian record holder in 50m freestyle, led the 50m backstroke from the start to the end, clocking a time of 26.98 seconds for the new world record.

The previous world mark of 27.06 was set up by China’s former world champion Zhao Jing in July 30, 2009 while the previous Asian record was held by Gao Chang of 27.48.

“It was like a dream. I did not expect to do that! In fact, it was not my favorite event,” said Liu, who holds the Asian record in 50m freestyle in 24.04.

“I improved my under-water legs in the last few months when we trained in the United States, and I think that made me better,” said Liu, who won a bronze medal from 50m backstroke in 2015 World Championships in Kazan.

Liu said she did not perform well in the morning heat with the under-water kicks. “My coach He Xinzhong told me to pay more attention on the legs and that helped me dominate the race from the start.”

Liu will compete in 50m freestyle on Aug 24.

The 2015 world champion Fu Yuanhui took the silver medal in 27.68 and Sakai Natsumi of Japan placed third 27.91.

“I am happy for Liu Xiang. What a great thing that Liu carries the flag of the world record from our Chinese swimmers. For me, I recovered from my shoulder injury and I am now 70% in form,” Fu said.

The 2016 Rio Games champion from Chumphon did not live up to expectations, lifting just 199 kg, some way short of the 210 kg she lifted to claim gold at the World Championships in Anaheim last year – and had to settle for fifth place. Report said she has been suffering a back injury. She was heart broken by the result and returned to the Athlete Village right after the competition.

Surodchana Khambao

It was left to teammate Surodchana Khambao to save Thailand’s blushes, winning bronze with a lift of 201 kg.

The gold went to Filipina Hidilyn Diaz with 207kg, one kilo better than Kristina Shermetova of  Turkmenistan.

Natalie Panyawan 

Happier news for Thailand was provided by Samui-based cyclist Natalie Panyawan, who shone on day four of competition, earning a bronze medal on her Asian games debut.

Panyawan clocked 1:25.17 hours to finish third in the women’s cross-country at Khe Bun Hill in Subang and secure a third medal for the Thai cycling team.

The 18-year-old crossed the finish line some distance behind Chinese cyclists Yao Bianwa and Li Hongfeng, who timed 1:20.17 and 1:24.56 hours respectively.

The Cycling Association of Thailand has achieved above and beyond its pre-set target in Indonesia, reaping three medals including a silver from Vipavee Deekaballae in women’s downhill and a bronze from Sueksakun Sukchanya in the men’s downhill on Monday.

Ratchanok Intanon

The women’s badminton team failed to repeat their Uber Cup success in May, when they beat the mighty Chinese to reach the final in Bangkok.

Yesterday they were blanked 3-0 by China in the semi-finals but this time all the top Chinese stars were in the line-up and it made the difference.

World No 5 Chen Yufei gave China a great start, beating Thai world No 4 Ratchanok Intanon 21-14 17-21 21-17. Then world No 3 Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan beat Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai 22-20 16-21 21-14 in the doubles.

In the third rubber, world No 7 He Bingjiao easily tackled world No 11 Nitchaon Jindapol 21-17 21-12 to clinch victory.

“If we had won the first singles and doubles rubbers, we would have beaten China again like we did in the Uber Cup,” said Thailand coach Rexy Mainaky.

In the women’s taekwondo 57kg, Chulalongkorn University student Vipawan Siripornpermsak led Lee Ahreum of South Korea 10-8, only for the defending champion to launch a late attack and win the semi-final 12-10.

“I was so close to reaching the final but I made mistakes in the end. She is a good fighter and has more experience. However I came further than I had expected,” said the 18-year-old Vipawan, who has only recently risen from the junior ranks.

Taekwondo has been good to Thailand already, however, with golds in both the women’s team poomsae and the men’s individual poomsae, for Pongporn Suvittayarak.

In sepak takraw, the men’s team regu moved a step closer to defending their title by beating India 2-0 in the semi-finals to set up a rematch with Malaysia in today’s final.

In women’s sepak takraw regu Preliminary Group A, Thailand beat India 3-0 to reach the semi-finals as group winners and will take on Myanmar today. South Korea, as Group B winners, will play Vietnam in the other semi-final.

Shooters Napis Tortungpanich and Thongphaphum Vongsukdee reached the final of the 50m rifle three positions but fell short, finishing as the bottom two, seventh and eighth, with 396 and 394.7 respectively.