Thailand’s boxing team planning last-minute Olympic dash

Thitisan Panmode (men’s 52kg), Chatchai Butdee (men’s 57kg), Baison Maneekon (women’s 69kg) and Sudaporn Seesorndee (women 60kg) are honing their skills at the Athletes Village in the Thai capital before launching their medal campaigns from Saturday.

Somchai Poonsawat, technical chairman of the Thailand Boxing Association (TBA) many other countries had made the same arrangements for their boxing teams.

"We decided to organise training for our boxers at Athletes Village because the training area prepared by the country host is small, while we are worried about transportation there," he said.

The Tokyo Games are taking place inside a bio-bubble of strict Covid-19 controls, with sealed accommodation and transport to venues in the Japanese capital.

Somchai is also concerned his boxers may be affected by fatigue after the long flight from Thailand to Japan.

The boxing competition will be a lottery for athletes, he added.

However, two Thai boxers were handed a morale booster before jetting off for the Games. Sudaporn has been accepted by the Royal Thai Navy, while Chatchai will be promoted to the rank of commissioned officer in the Army.