NAKHON RATCHASIMA (Thailand), Dec 7: Thailand dominated the first day of track and field on Friday at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA), winning six of the nine gold medals on offer.

There was a more even spread of medals in the first night of swimming, but Thailand extended its lead atop the medal table. It now has 33 golds to lead the standings, with Vietnam moving into second place with 14 golds.

Indonesia’s Suryo Agung Wibowo won his nation’s first gold in the track and field events, finishing the men’s 100 meter final in a SEA Games record of 10.25 seconds. Thailand’s Wachara Sondee was second and Malaysia’s A. Hadi Mohammad Noor Imran finished third.

Vietnam’s Thi Huong Vu won the women’s 100 race in 11.47 seconds despite a slow start, ahead of Thailand’s Nongnuch Sanrat and Indonesia’s Irene Truitje Joseph.

Thailand’s Jutamass Tawoncharoen set the day’s best time by winning her semifinal in 11.38 but did not take her place in the final because of an injury.

In swimming, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines each won two golds, while Singapore collected one in the men’s 4x200 meter freestyle relay.

The best race of the night saw Miguel Molina of the Philippines edge out Indonesia’s Mohammad Nasution by 0.06 seconds in the 400 individual medley.

Natthanan Krajang won the women’s 100 for Thailand and swam the anchor leg as the hosts took the women’s 4x200 freestyle relay in a new Games record time of 8 minutes, 20.77 seconds.

Ryan Arabeju of the Philippines took the men’s 200 backstroke, while Malaysia won golds through Yin Wey Lew in the women’s 200 backstroke and Yi Ting Siow in the women’s 200 individual medley.

Four other SEA Games records were broken in track and field.

Vietnam’s Truong Thanh Hang had the most dominant performance, bettering her own record to win the women’s 1,500 meters in 4:11.60 seconds _ almost seven seconds ahead of her old mark.

Thailand’s Chatchawai Polyemg won the men’s shot put with 17.43 meters and compatriot Buonban Panang the women’s javelin with 55.97 meters _ both Games records, although far from their personal bests.

Thailand’s Theerayut Philakong set the fifth Games record, leaping 16.44 meters to win the men’s triple jump.

Away from the track and field, Thailand’s Tawalchai Masae won the men’s cross-country mountain bike event and Vietnam’s Thi Thanhbuyen Nguyen took the women’s race.

Malaysia triumphed in the team dressage at the equestrian competition, ahead of Indonesia and Thailand.

Vietnam swept the freestyle wrestling, taking gold in the men’s 84-kilogram and women’s 51-kilogram and 48-kilogram classes.

Thailand also won the men’s team artistic gymnastics, finishing top in four of the six disciplines, with Vietnam taking silver and Malaysia bronze.

Thailand had success in the duilian event of wushu martial arts, beating Malaysia and Myanmar, and also won the men’s team snooker final, with Malaysia taking silver and Singapore bronze. Laos captured its first medals of the Games by winning gold in both the men’s and women’s shooting petanque.—AP