By Ronnie Nathanielsz

 

Thailand's Somjit Jongjohor won the flyweight title to give his country another gold medal in Olympic boxing at the Workers Indoor Stadium in Beijing but 2004 Athens champion Manus Boonjomrong had to settle for the silver.

 

Somjit was in command from the opening round against Cuba's Andris Laffita and won handily out-pointing the Cuban 8-2 to claim his first Olympic gold medal.

 

The veteran 33-year-old held up a picture of his country's king Bhumibol Adulyadej which Thai athletes always do to honor their revered monarch after the victory that adds to his world title in 2003.

 

Somjit counter-punched beautifully to race to a 6-0 lead after two rounds and then, as many fighters who pile up an early lead do, used his quick footwork to dance out of trouble in the next two rounds.

 

In a post-fight interview the Thai gold medalist said, "All my life I've been waiting for today. I went through so much, hurt so much but I have tried my hardest." And his hardest was good enough for gold.

 

The bronze medals went to Russia's Georgy Balakshin and Vincenzo Picardi of Italy.

 

Somjit's countryman  Manus Boonjumnong, the reigning light welterweight champion failed to duplicate his feat in Athens four years ago and had to settle for silver.

 

 

The Dominican Republic's Felix Diaz  gave his country its Olympic boxing gold medal when he overpowered the defending champion despite giving away several inches in height and reach.

 

Manus struggled to contain the Dominican, who stands only 1.65 m tall but fights like a pitbull.

 

After the first round when the score was tied at 2-2  Diaz dominated the third swarming all over the Thailander with a ferocious attack to score 8 points to 1 and effectively settle the issue.

 

Known for his gracious manner Manus smiled even after he lost.

 

Cuba's Roniel Iglesias and Alexis Vastine of France, who had complained of being robbed in his semifinal defeat to Diaz, won the bronze medals.

 

Vastine was beaten by Diaz after Filipino referee Rogelio Fortaleza deducted two points from the Frenchman for holding in the final seconds of the bout as a result of which Vastine lost 12-10.

 

Fortaleza came under bitter criticism from the French who charged that his decision was effectively an "assassination."