OLYMPIC countdown
Young Ek keen on Beijing debut
KITTIPONG THONGSOMBAT
Windsurfers Ek Boonsawat and Napalai Tharnsai aim for a top-10 finish at the 2008 Games.
It will be Ek's first Olympics and Napalai's second.
They qualified for the Beijing Games after the 2008 World Championship in New Zealand earlier this year.
"Both of them are talented," said Pattana Boonsawat, secretary-general of the Windsurfing Association of Thailand (WAT).
Both qualified on merit of their performance and not as wild-cards.
The 19-year-old Ek, who is Pattana's son, has made fast progress over the past few years. The young star, who won gold at last year's SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, will make his Olympic debut.
Napalai, 26, will appear in her second Olympics after her debut in 2000 in Sydney.
Pattana says surfers' success depended on their fitness and course conditions.
While outside factors such as wind are as important as surfers' skills, Pattana admits it is difficult for the duo to win a medal.
"A top-10 finish would be good enough. They are still young and relatively inexperienced compared to top athletes most of whom are in their 30s," said Pattana.
He believes that they would become more competitive in the 2012 Olympics if they could make it to the London Games.
Coach Dechapol Poanukulnon says it would be a success if Ek finishes in the top 10 out of 35 competitors and Napalai top 20 in her division which has 28 athletes.
"Ek is good but inexperienced. The Olympics will be a stage for him to hone his skills," he said.
Dechapol and the duo are now in Qingdao, Shandong province where the competition will take place.
As the first Thai athletes to be in China for the Games, Ek and Napalai hope they can get used to the course and other conditions.
"They have been here twice before. Hopefully, this would help them perform well," Pattana said.
Pattana says both Ek and Napalai are products of the government's "One Sport, One State Enterprise" project.
The association has received four million baht a year from the Airports Authority of Thailand.
"We can produce good athletes thanks to the fund. We also get financial support from other agencies such as Pattaya Munipicality," he said.
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