Thais ready to roll in Rio event
Paralympians look to beat London haul
Thailand are confident that they will win more than four gold medals at next month’s Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.
If they achieve their target, it would beat their performance at the 2012 Games in London where they claimed four golds.
Thailand are sending 45 athletes to take part in 10 sports at the Sept 7-18 Rio Games.
The participants include 13 in athletics, seven each in tennis and boccia, five in shooting and four in swimming. They left for Rio yesterday.
Initially, 46 Thai athletes qualified for the Rio Paralympics. Unfortunately, it was later discovered that a country with the world’s top-two boccia players can only send one to the Games.
As a result, world No.2 Witsanu Huadpradit was left out of the team as No.1 Pattaya Tadthong, who won two gold medals in the individual and team events in London, was picked ahead of him.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has given his moral support to the Paralympic squad.
“All the Thai people and I always support you,’’ he told the team recently.
“Stay focused and do your best. There is nothing for you to be afraid of. You all have a chance to win medals.”
Chutinant Bhirombhakdi, president of the Paralympic Committee of Thailand, said the squad had trained for one year and hoped they would win more than four gold medals.
“We have a high chance of surpassing our performance in London,” he said.
Among Thailand’s top medal hopes is Rawat Tana, a wheelchair racing world champion, who will compete in five events in Rio.
“We have trained for a long time. I am well-prepared physically and mentally and confident that I will win gold for the Thai people,’’ said the 39-year-old.
Marcel Hug of Switzerland and David Weir of Great Britain will likely be his fiercest rivals in Rio.
Rawat got two gold medals at Athens 2004 but could only take home a silver at London 2012.
At t he London event, Thailand earned four gold, two silver and two bronze medals.
Thailand claimed gold in table tennis (Rungroj Thainiyom), mixed team boccia (Pattaya, Witsanu, Watcharaphon Vongsa and Mongkol Jit Sa-ngiem), individual boccia (Pattaya) and wheelchair fencing (Saysunee Jana).
Rungroj said he was relatively unknown before the London Games but this time it would be tough for him to defend the title because opponents now know him.
Saysunee, who also won gold at Athens 2004, and wheelchair racer Prawat Wahoram, the most successful Thai Paralympian ever with five gold medals, are among the contenders in Rio.
“We had more time to prepare for Rio,’’ said the 35-year-old Prawat who will be making his fifth Paralympic appearance.
He made his Paralympic debut at Sydney 2000 and trains on a regular basis.
By his own high standards, Prawat had a disappointing campaign i n London when he could only manage two silver medals.
The unconvincing performance ended his run of winning at least a gold medal in the previous three Games.
“I will give my all this time to return to the winner’s circle,’’ said Prawat.
Sakol Wannapong, governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, said the medallists will receive an increased bonus from the National Sports Development Fund.
A Paralympic gold medallist will get 7.2 million baht, a silver medallist 4.8 million baht and a bronze medallist 3 million baht.