BANGKOK: The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) has set an ambitious goal to win six gold medals in the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics.
As many as 51 Thai athletes will compete from July 26 to August 11, 36 of them participating in the world’s largest sports competition for the first time. Nine Thai athletes will fight for the gold medal in badminton and eight in boxing.
SAT has placed high hopes for gold medals from weightlifting (1), taekwondo (1), boxing (2), badminton (1) and golf (1).
However, Olympic fans in Thailand will be hoping for a gold from taekwondo from the Thai team composed of Panipak Wongpattanakit, Sasikarn Tongchan and Banlung Tubtimdang.
Now participating in her third Olympics, Panipak became the first Thai taekwondo athlete to win an Olympic gold in the 2020 Tokyo Games but has been told by the Taekwondo Association of Thailand not to push herself too hard despite the expectations of Thai fans.
“Panipak is serious about being a symbol of hope for the gold medal, so I asked her to do her best without worrying about the competition result, national taekwondo coach Chatchai Choi said on Wednesday (July 24).
He said Sasikarn and Banlung have enough skill to compete against others, but they still lack experience in large competitions.
Another symbol of hope among Thais is in the boxing competition, with Thailand Boxing Association technical chairman Rapeepat Lablertbun expecting Thai boxers to win at least two golds.
“Currently, the skills of boxers from each country are not all that different, so it depends on how they are matched,” he said, adding that Thitisan Panmod has a high chance to win the medal as he earned his place on the Olympic team last year.
Below is a list of the Thai athletes who will participate in Paris Olympics:
Athletics
Men’s 100m: Puripol Boonson
Women’s discus throw: Subenrat Insaeng
Shooting
25m pistol women: Tanyaporn Prucksakorn
50m rifle 3 positions men: Thongphaphum Vongsukdee
10m air pistol women: Kamonlak Saencha
Cycling
Men’s BMX race: Komet Sukprasert
Men’s road race: Thanakhan Chaiyasombat
Women’s road race: Phetdarin Somrat
Men’s track race: Jai Angsuthasawit
Boxing
Men’s 51kg: Thitisan Panmod
Men’s 64kg: Bunjong Sinsiri
Women’s 66kg: Janjaem Suwannapheng
Women’s 50kg: Chuthamat Raksat
Women’s 60kg: Thananya Somnuek
Women’s 54kg: Juthamat Chitphong
Women’s 75kg: Baison Manikon
Men’s 80kg: Weerapon Jongjoho
Modern Pentathlon
Laser-run: Phurit Yohuang
Sailing
Women’s kite: Benyapa Jantawan
Men’s kite: Jonathan Weston
Men’s dinghy: Arthit Mikhail Romanyk
Women’s dinghy: Sophia Montgomery
Equestrian
Jumping individual: Janakabhorn Karunayadhaj
Taekwondo
Women’s 49kg: Panipak Wongpattanakit
Women’s 67kg: Sasikarn Tongchan
Men’s 68kg: Banlung Tubtimdang
Table tennis
Women’s team: Suthasini and Jinnipa Sawettabut
Women’s singles: Orawan Paranang
Rowing
Men's single sculls: Premanat Wattananusit
Weightlifting
Men’s 61kg: Teerapong Silachai
Men’s 73kg: Weerapol Wichuma
Women’s 49kg: Surodchana Khambao
Women’s +87kg: Duangaksorn Chaidee
Badminton
Women’s singles: Ratchanok Intanon and Suphanida Ketthong
Men’s singles: Kunlavut Vitidsarn
Women’s doubles: Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai
Men’s doubles: Supak Jomkoh and Kittinupong Kedren
Mixed doubles: Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai
Golf
Men’s individual: Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Phachara Khongwatmai
Women’s individual: Atthaya Thitikul and Paphangkorn Tavatanakit
Swimming
Women’s 50m freestyle: Jenjira Srisaard
Men’s 100m freestyle: Dulyawat Kaewsriyong
Skateboarding
Women’s street: Wareeraya Sukkasem
Judo
Men’s flyweight 73kg: Masayuki Terada - The Nation/ANN
