Pongsakorn strikes gold for Thailand at Tokyo Paralympics
Pongsakorn Paeyo, a wheelchair racer, won Thailands first gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games on Sunday.
Pongsakorn raced to the gold in the men's 400 metres T53 race in 46.61 seconds, followed in second place by Brent Lakatos of Canada in 46.75 seconds and Vitalii Gritsenko of Russia third in 49.41 seconds.
Pongsakorn's gold-winning effort also broke the previous world record of 46.82 seconds set by Lakatos at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Pongsakorn had sailed through the preliminary rounds in 47.31 seconds.
Fellow-Thai Pichet Krungget finished fifth in the race in 49.96 seconds.
With a gold, a silver and three bronze, Thailand are placed 34th on the medals table.
