THAIS WHO DELIVERED IN RIO AND WHO DIDN’T
Thailand won two gold, two silver and two bronze medals at the 2016 Olympics which ended last Sunday. Here are the Kingdom’s athletes who shone and who failed to live up to expectations in Rio.
TOPS SOPITA TANASAN (WEIGHTLIFTING)
A regular weightlifter in the 53kg division, Sopita made her debut in the 48kg class in Rio and comfortably won the gold, beating silver medallist Sri Wahyuni Agustiani of Indonesia by 8kg.
SUKANYA SRISURAT (WEIGHTLIFTING)
Having been banned by the International Weightlifting Federation from 2011-2013 for using a prohibited substance, she beat teammate Pimsiri Sirikaew to win gold in the 53kg division.
PIMSIRI SIRIKAEW (WEIGHTLIFTING)
Pimsiri won her second silver medal after her runnerup finish at London 2012, making her the only second Thai athlete to have claimed more than one Olympic medal after boxer Manus Boonjamnong, who sealed gold in 2004 and silver in 2008.
SINHPHET KRUAITHONG (WEIGHTLIFTING)
A relatively unknown weightlifter before the Rio Games, Sinphet defied all odds to get the bronze in the 56kg class. With the success, he became the first Thai male lifter to have won an Olympic medal.
TAWIN HANPRAB (TAEKWONDO)
Considered to have only an outside chance of winning a medal by his own bosses, the teenage taekwondo fighter surprised everyone by taking the silver in the 58kg division.
FLOPS PANIPAK WONGPATTANAKIT (TAEKWONDO)
The teenage exponent was tipped to win gold in the 49kg class but could only manage a bronze medal through repechage.
RATCHANOK INTANON (BADMINTON)
After being cleared of doping allegations just weeks before the Rio Games, the world No.4 player declared that she would win a medal for the Thai people. However, her Rio campaign was ended by Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the last-16 round.
SUTIYA JIEWCHALOEMMIT (SHOOTING)
The top-ranked skeet shooter in the world could not even reach the final in Rio. Sutiya, who competed in her third Olympics, cited the weather and pressure for her failure.
ARIYA JUTANUGARN (GOLF)
Fresh from winning the Women’s British Open title, Ariya took the first-round lead in Rio. She was four shots off the pace at the halfway mark and withdrew from the tournament in the third round, citing a knee injury.
WUTTICHAI MASUK (BOXING)
The No.1 seed in the 64kg division and reigning Asian Games and Asian champion was eliminated by USA’s Gary Russell in the Thai’s first ever Olympic bout.
PEAMWILAI LAOPEAM (BOXING)
Thailand’s first ever female boxer to qualify for the Olympics, Peamwilai was seen as the country’s best medal hope in the sport. She needed only one win to be assured of at least a bronze medal but returned empty-handed after being well beaten by Ingrit Lorena of Colombia.