KITTIPONG THONGSOMBAT
Samut Prakan Governor Anuwat Maytheewibulwut, centre, welcomes Olympic taekwondo silver medallist Buttree Puedpong and her coach Choi Young Seok of Korea in Samut Prakan yesterday. |
Chinese weightlifting coach Zhang Baoshun will not get a new contract because of his poor performance with the Thai team at the 2008 Olympic Games. Coach Zhang's contract ran out after the Beijing Games at which Thailand's weightlifting team won only one gold from Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakoon in the women's 53kg division.
Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (Tawa) president Bussaba Yodbangtoey said that she was not impressed by the performance of Zhang who was in charge of the women's team.
''He should have done better in calling weights and planning strategies,'' Bussaba said.
She said his ''mistakes'' were a major reason that Premsiri Bunpithak and Pensiri Laosirikul both finished empty-handed in the 48kg class.
Zhang succeeded compatriot Zhang Jiamin who guided Thailand to win two gold and two bronze medals at the 2004 Olympics.
Liu Ming, another Chinese coach who was in charge of Thailand's male team at the 2008 Olympic Games, may get a new contract.
Bussaba said Liu, whose contract also expired after the Beijing Games, was good on the psychological side of the game.
If the coach agrees to a new deal, he will get around 60,000 baht a month, she said.
Meanwhile, Olympic taekwondo silver medallist Buttree Puedpong received a tumultuous welcome from fans in her home province of Samut Prakan.
She received 800,000 baht in cash and gifts worth 200,000 baht as reward from the private sector.
Samut Prakan Governor Anuwat Maytheewibulwut will host a reception party for the 17-year-old star on Monday when she will receive one million baht from the provincial authorities.
Prev
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Next
