GAMES' PEAKS AND VALLEYS

As the 33rd SEA Games drew to a close on Dec 20, The Straits Times' reporting team on the ground David Lee, Deepanraj Ganesan, Melvyn Teoh, Gavin Foo and Brian Teo relived the highs and lows of the action in Thailand. Here are ST's picks for the event's moments to remember

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INSPIRING THE WORLD

National records, and occasionally Asian marks, are broken at the SEA Games. Though at what is sometimes called the “kampung Games”, five world records are certainly not on the bingo card.

But the weightlifters did not get the memo as Indonesia’s Rizki Juniansyah set two world records with a clean-and-jerk of 205kg and his 365kg total in the men’s 79kg category on Dec 15.

The Thais also got in on the act when Paris Olympics silver medalist Weeraphon Wichuma bettered world marks with his clean-and-jerk lift of 195kg and overall 347kg in the men’s 71kg category, while compatriot Theerapong Silachai also set a clean-and-jerk world record of 173kg en route to the men’s 60kg title.

Deepanraj Ganesan

BIGGEST BREAKTHROUGH

For the longest time, no Southeast Asian had managed to break the 10-second barrier in the century sprint. Until 19-year-old Thai sprint sensation Puripol Boonson came along to smash that glass ceiling in 9.94sec at the Supachalasai Stadium on Dec 11.

In the heats, from Lane 2, without any notable challenge, for arguably the most showstopping moment of these Games.

Melvyn Teoh

TEEN TITANS

The SEA Games are not for the fainthearted.

So, it was heartening to see Singapore’s teenagers dominate or hold their own against seasoned campaigners to summit the podium.

There were the 19-year-olds - Olympic medallist kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder’s perfect run on his debut, Izaac Quek retaining his table tennis triple crowns, and Marissa Hafezan ending Singapore’s 32-year karate gold-medal drought.