PUBLISHED: 4 Aug 2024 at 17:41
UPDATED: 4 Aug 2024 at 20:01
FRANCE: Excitement is high among Thai sports fans as Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Janjaem Suwannapheng secure the country’s first medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Janjaem’s remarkable victory in the women’s 66kg semi-finals, where she triumphed against top-ranked Busenaz Surmeneli from Turkey, has guaranteed Thailand at least a bronze medal.
Kunlavut followed suit with an outstanding performance in the men’s singles badminton semi-finals, defeating Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia 21-14, 21-15, thus clinching Thailand’s first Olympic badminton medal. The reigning world champion will now compete for gold against defending champion Viktor Axelsen from Denmark, who ousted Lakshya Sen from India in the other semi-final.
Janjaem, hailing from Nong Khai, demonstrated remarkable skill in her bout against Surmeneli, the gold medalist from Tokyo 2020, winning with a score of 4-1 at North Paris Arena. She now stands as the second Thai female boxer to achieve an Olympic medal, following in the footsteps of Sudaporn Seesondee, who secured bronze in 2020.
Janjaem’s next challenger is Imane Khelif of Algeria, who reached the semi-finals amidst a gender controversy. Khelif achieved a unanimous decision victory over Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori, ensuring Algeria’s first Olympic boxing medal since 2000.
Reflecting on her triumph, Janjaem expressed her joy: “I’m so happy that I won today. I felt a bit of pressure being the only Thai boxer left in the tournament, but I hope my success brings pride to my country.”
Meanwhile, Kunlavut’s path to the finals has been remarkable, having vanquished world No. 1 Shi Yuqi of China in the quarter-finals. His stunning performance has marked a significant milestone for Thai badminton, a sport that had previously not garnered an Olympic medal since the competition’s inception.
This achievement places badminton among the four sports that have delivered Olympic success for Thailand, joining boxing, weightlifting, and taekwondo in the nation’s sporting legacy.
