Panipak Wongpattanakit Secures Thailand’s First Gold at Paris 2024

Panipak Wongpattanakit Secures Thailand’s First Gold at Paris 2024

In the early hours of August 8th (Vietnam time), Thai taekwondo sensation Panipak Wongpattanakit clinched her first gold medal for Thailand at the 2024 Olympics. She triumphed over China’s Guo Qing with a 2-1 victory, successfully defending her Olympic title in the 49kg taekwondo category.

This gold medal marks Thailand’s first at the Paris Olympics and the second Olympic taekwondo gold in the nation’s history—both won by Wongpattanakit. Despite facing significant challenges, including falling behind her Chinese opponent, Wongpattanakit persevered to secure a 2-1 win (6-3, 2-6, 6-2) after three intense rounds.

Wongpattanakit has now won gold in almost every major international competition she has competed in, including the Olympics, Asian Games, and World Taekwondo Championships.Stepping down from the podium, Wongpattanakit announced her retirement, citing injuries as the primary reason. “I’ve had a knee fracture, and my ankle and hip are not in great shape. I’ve endured a lot of pain. I think it’s time to retire,” she shared.

Wongpattanakit had considered retiring eight years ago when she was just 19, after securing a bronze medal despite an impressive performance. However, her relentless pursuit of excellence led her to claim Olympic gold in Tokyo 2021, and now she has once again brought glory to Thailand with her victory in Paris.

With Wongpattanakit’s gold, Thailand’s medal tally at the Paris Olympics has reached five, including one gold, two silvers, and two bronzes. Just hours before Wongpattanakit’s win, weightlifter Theerapong Silachai earned a silver medal in the men’s 61kg weightlifting category.

Thailand is currently ranked 31st on the medal leaderboard, just below the Philippines, which is ranked 24th with two golds.

Meanwhile, Vietnam is still searching for its first medal at the Paris Olympics. Nguyen Thi Huong, competing in canoeing, is the last athlete representing Vietnam. The qualifiers are set to take place at 15:30 on August 8th.