Thailand’s Uthen Kukheaw defeated national ace Riem Sokphirom 12-5, 12-9 in the quarter-final of the Beach Teqball International Cup in Wanning, China.
The defeat will raise some alarms for the national teqball side looking to repeat their impressive show at the Cambodia SEA Games, when teqball made its debut as a demonstration sport.
Sokphirum had won the gold in the men’s singles and the defeat to Kukheaw will rankle his morale ahead of the Thailand SEA Games in December, where teqball has been included as a medal sport.
Kukheaw will not be the only Thai hurdle at the SEA Games for Sokphirum. Another Thai player Phakpong also qualified for the semi-finals, defeating Denmark’s Noah Dahlmann in his quarter-final tie.
Ironically Dahlmann had defeated both Cambodian entries in the competition – Sokphirum in the group stages and Ravi Soun in the last 16 tie.
While the Thai duo failed to get past the semi-final stages, the combined together to make it to the men’s doubles final.
RESULTS
Men’s Singles
Quarter-finals: Phakpong Dejaroen (Tha) bt Noah Dahlmann (Den) 5-12, 12-11, 12-9; Alexander Hamm (Aut) bt Sun Zhixue (Chn) 5-12, 12-8, 12-7; Boldizsar Levik (Hun) bt Akinori Wase (Jpn) 12-9, 12-11; Uthen Kukheaw (Tha) bt Riem Sokphirom (Cam) 12-5, 12-9
Semi-finals: Alexander Hamm (Aut) bt Phakpong Dejaroen (Tha) 12-11, 10-12, 12-10; Boldizsar Levik (Hun) bt Uthen Kukheaw (Tha) 10-12, 12-10, 12-3
Final: Alexander Hamm (Aut) bt Boldizsar Levik (Hun) 12-6, 2-12, 12-8
Men’s doubles
Semi-finals: Seiya Arai-Akinori Wse (Jpn) bt Szablocs Ilyes-Boldizsar (Rom-Hun) 12-4, 11-12, 15-13; Uthen Kukheaw-Phakpon Dejaroen (Tha) bt Noah Dahlmann-Alexander Hamm (Den) 12-9, 12-9
Final: Seiya Arai-Akinori Wse (Jpn) bt Uthen Kukheaw-Phakpon Dejaroen (Tha) 12-7, 4-12, 12-10
