Thailand hoping to bring home six gold medals from Paris 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.

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: Theerapong 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