Ratchanok, Porntip tipped to win Olympic medals

The Badminton Association of Thailand is pinning its Olympic hopes on Ratchanok Intanon and Porntip Buranaprasertsuk.

Seven Thai shuttlers will compete in four events at the Rio Olympics in August. They are Ratchanok and Porntip (women’s singles), Boonsak Ponsana (men’s singles), Savitree Amitrapai and Bodin Issara (mixed doubles), and Puttita Supajirakul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai (women’s doubles).

BAT president Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul said yesterday Ratchanok and Porntip were considered Thailand’s best bets to win the country’s first ever Olympic medal in the sport.

“We have good chances of winning medals in the women’s singles,” she said.

Instead of training overseas, Khunying Patama said that the team will practise in Khao Yai, Nakhon Ratchasima for about two months ahead of the Games because the weather there is similar to that in Brazil.

The athletes will also do meditation to improve their mental strength, she said.

Boonsak, who will make his fifth Olympic appearance, said his experience may help him become successful in Rio.

Boonsak came close to winning a medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens where he lost in the bronze medal match.

Khunying Patama added that Thailand could get another Olympic berth from Bodin Issara and Nipitphon Puangpuapech in the men’s doubles as Russian pair Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Sozonov are reportedly injured. They must confirm their participation by July 18.

Ratchanok has been approached to carry the Thai flag during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympics on Aug 5, according to Patama.

Ratchanok last month won three Superseries titles in a row and became Thailand’s first ever top-ranked badminton player.