NAKHON RATCHASIMA (Thailand), Dec 9: Two Thai athletes at the Southeast Asian Games failed drug tests, while Cambodia won its first gold medal of the tournament Sunday.

An unnamed Thai male hockey player was expelled from the games after testing positive for the performance-enhancing steroid methyltestosterone in a pre-competition test, officials said, and a female Thai gymnast also failed a drug test for an unnamed substance.

Cambodia got its first gold when Chanmean Sok won the men’s singles petanque and Brunei-Darrusalam’s Haji Raya Norleyermay was the first on the dais for his nation after collecting silver in the martial arts’ pencak silat.

The male hockey player tested positive for steroids in a pre-competition urine test, said Kanokphan Julakasem, head of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT). In addition to expulsion from the 11-nation games, the player will likely be banned from competition in his sport for two years.

Dr. Chataruporn na Nakon —SAT’s deputy governor for sports promotion — said a second Thai athlete, a female gymnast, also failed a drug test for an undisclosed substance one week before the beginning of the games. She will receive the same punishment as given to the hockey player, he said.

In weighlifting, Thailand’s 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Wandee Kemeaim easily won gold in the women’s 58-kilogram class.

Indonesia claimed double gold in the men’s. Triyatno won the 62-kilogram class, ahead of a close contest in the 69-kilo class. Edi Kurniawan hoisted 167 kilograms on his final clean and jerk to draw level with Thailand’s Sitthisak Suphalak’s aggregate of 299 kilograms and win gold by virtue of lower bodyweight.

In the pool, Malaysia’s Chai Lin Khoo smashed the SEA Games record in the women’s 800 meters, taking more than nine seconds off the 10-year mark with a time of 8.47.80.

Singapore’s Li Tao won two gold medals in less than 15 minutes — first in the women’s 100 backstroke and then in the 100 butterfly.

Daniel Bego set a new Games record in the pool from lane one, winning the men’s 100 meters butterfly in 54.33 seconds, and Singapore set a new Games mark in the men’s 4x100-meters relay with 3:26.70.

Thailand’s Tharnawat Worakiart in the men’s 400 meters freestyle and Singapore’s Zach Ong in the men’s 100 meter backstroke were other swimming gold medalists.

In athletics, Indonesia’s Yahuza Yahuza won the men’s marathon ahead of Cambodia’s Bunting Hem and Eduardo Buenavista of the Philippines. Thailand’s Sunisa Sailomyen won the women’s event in front of Pa Pa of Myanmar and Jho Ann Benayag of the Philippines.

Malaysia scored two golds in the 20-kilometer walk, with Boon Lim Teoh winning the men’s and Yo Fang Yuan the women’s.

Singapore’s Ying Ren Mok overhauled two Filipino opponents to win the men’s triathlon.

In the women’s, Malaysia’s Fui Li Kimbeleyyap got off to a strong start in swimming and held on to win gold, with the Philippines again forced to settle for both minor medals.

Thailand claimed gold in both the men’s and women’s tennis team events, beating Indonesia in both finals. In the women’s event, Indonesia won the opening of three rubbers and was up a set in the second singles match before Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn rallied to win in three sets, and the host nation then prevailed in doubles.

Thailand also monopolized the golds in the men’s and women’s cycling time trials, with victories by Prajak Mahawong and Monrudee Chapookam respectively.

Medal standings on third day

(tabulated under country, gold, silver, bronze, total):

Country G S B Total

Thailand 60 57 36 153

Vietnam 26 13 37 76

Singapore 17 16 13 46

Philippines 16 21 39 76

Indonesia 13 15 20 48

Malaysia 11 11 24 46

Myanmar 2 10 13 27

Laos 2 0 9 11

Cambodia 1 2 5 8

Brunei-Darrusalam 0 1 0 1

— Agencies