Thailand’s Stellar Performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics

As the Paris 2024 Olympics came to a close on Sunday, August 11, let’s take a moment to celebrate Thailand’s athletes who showcased their prowess on the grand stage of Paris.

In this year’s Games, the United States continued its reign as the ultimate gold medal powerhouse, matching China’s tally of 40 golds. However, the U.S. outpaced China in silver medals with 44 and claimed 42 bronze, bringing their grand total to 126 medals. With this stellar performance, they are all set to hand over the baton to Los Angeles, which will host the next Olympics in 2028.

Thailand finished in 44th place, proudly returning home with 1 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals, totaling 6 medals.

Here’s a List of Athletes Who Made Thailand Proud:

Gold

Panipak Wongpattanakit Taekwondo Women’s − 49 kg

After Tennis, the Thai taekwondo gold medalist, received her medal and gave interviews on various topics, she announced her decision to retire from competitive taekwondo. Tennis shared, “My parents have always loved and enjoyed sports, and they named their children after different sports. I have a sister named Bowling and a brother named Baseball. So, all of our names are inspired by sports.”

Tennis also spoke about the reasons for her retirement, saying, “I’ve faced numerous injuries, including a torn posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in my knee, as well as issues with my hip and ankle. Due to these problems, I have to step away from competition and focus on developing the next generation of athletes in Thailand.” She also recommended her own gym, Panipak Taekwondo Gym, which she opened in Thailand, and encouraged others to join.

After the interview, “Tennis” became widely discussed in international media. The prestigious Wall Street Journal even highlighted her story with a playful and creative headline : “Her Name Is Tennis. Her Siblings Are Bowling and Baseball. And She Just Won Gold in Taekwondo.”

It’s a headline that brings a smile, cleverly capturing the essence of her unique family and triumphant achievement.

Silver

Kunlavut Vitidsarn Badminton Men’s singles

View – Kunlavut, 23, began playing badminton at the age of 7, inspired by his father, who is a badminton coach. His notable achievement before this was winning the Men’s Singles World Badminton Championship in 2023, held in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Theerapong Silachai Weightlifting Men’s −61 kg

Fhang – Theerapong The 20-year-old athlete from Sri Sa Ket, Thailand, made headlines by winning a silver medal for his country. Before this, he made history by becoming the World Champion in the 55 kg category at the 2022 World Championships in Bogotá, Colombia, marking his debut on the global stage.

Weeraphon Wichuma Weightlifting Men’s −73 kg

Wave – Weeraphon, The 20-year-old athlete made history by winning a silver medal in the 73 kg category at the 2024 Olympics. Additionally, he set a new junior world record in the clean and jerk with a lift of 198 kg during the same competition.

Bronze

Janjaem Suwannapheng Boxing Women’s Welterweight

B – Janjaem, 23, born on September 25, 2000, began boxing at 15, inspired by former Thai Olympic champion Wicharn Phonrit. Her remarkable achievements earned her the honor of being the flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, a pinnacle of pride for any athlete.

Surodchana Khambao Weightlifting Women’s −49 kg

Oil – Surodchana, a 24-year-old weightlifter, made history by winning the World Championship in 2021. She achieved a remarkable feat by claiming gold in all three lifts in the 49 kg category at the competition held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Reference
bangkokbiznews / th.wikipedia / thaipbs