The Summer Olympics are back for 2024, and people around the world are prepped and ready to cheer for their countries. Let’s get to know the Thai athletes competing in Paris this year.
The 2024 Summer Olympics have a history that dates back to the official debut in 1952. So far, Thailand has competed in every single edition. Well, except the 1980 Summer Olympics. We don’t talk about the 1980 Summer Olympics.
This year, the number of competitors from Thailand totals to 43 athletes: 21 men and 22 women. They will be participating in 12 sports categories, out of the total 32 categories.
2024 Summer Olympics: Thai athletes you should know
Kunlavut Vitidsarn
Category: Badminton (Singles)
Kunlavut “View” Vitidsarn is the reigning singles World Champion. He is also the first men’s singles player to have won three World Junior Championships titles, winning in 2017-2019 consecutively. His current world ranking is 7, with a career high of 3.
Panipak Wongpattanakit
Category: Taekwondo (-49 kg class)
Panipak “Tennis” Wongpattanakit represented Thailand during the last Summer Olympics in 2022, and won the gold medal for the same category she’s competing for this year. It’s the first-ever Olympic gold medal for Thailand for taekwondo. She made the record of being the first woman to have won ten gold meals in the women’s -49 eg events.
Rajanok Intanon
Category: Badminton (Singles)
Arguably one of the household names when it comes to Thai athletes, May Rajanok is the first Thai to achieve no.1 in women’s singles, and became world champion in that category in 2013. Furthermore, she’s the first-ever singles player to win three Superseries titles all in three consecutive weeks, as well as the first-ever Thai badminton player ranked world no. 1. An icon.
Weerapon Jongjoho
Category: Boxing (Middleweight)
A rising star continuing the legacy of his uncle, former flyweight world champion Somjit Jongjoho, Weerapon “Game” Jongjoho recently won bronze at the 2021 AIBA World Boxing Championships, and recently brought a gold medal back home from the 2023 SEA Games.
Jai Angsuthasawit
Category: Track and Keirin
The only competitor representing Thailand in the track category is Aussie-Thai cyclist Jai “TJ” Angsuthasawit. The Adelaide-born won the overall title in the keirin at the 2019–20 UCI Track Cycling World Cup, as well as at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Category: Golf
Kiradech “Arm” Aphibarnrat is a seasoned player when it comes to golf, having debuted professionally in 2008, and receiving a win just a year later at the Mercedes-Benz Tour’s Singha Pattaya Open. His recent wins include the 2021 Singha Thailand Masters, Richard Mille Brunei Championships in 2018, and ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth in 2018.
Suthasini Sawettabut
Category: Table tennis (singles)
Suthasini “Ying” Sawettabut started playing table tennis when she was six, and represented Thailand during the 2020 Summer Olympics. She made history as the first Thai player to reach round 16. She also won the 2018 Thailand Open playing doubles, and placed second in the 2019 Indonesia Open playing singles.
Tanyaporn Prucksakorn
Category: Shooting
Tanyaporn “Tanya” Prucksakorn has been competing in the Summer Olympics since 2008, this time competing in Paris in the women’s 25 m pistol category. She has won two World Cup silver medals, both at the Munich event, in 2012 and 2015, respectively, as well as six total gold medals from SEA Games.
Janakabhorn Karunayadhaj
Category: Equestrian (individual)
Thai showjumper Janakabhorn “Pree” Karunayadhaj becomes the only and first-ever contestant to represent Thailand in the Summer Olympics’ equestrian category. Having placed second at the CSI3* Grand Prix, fans are eager to watch her and Maxwin return to the stage.
Komet Sukprasert
Category: BMX
Komet Sukprasert, at 23 years old, is already a two-time Asian BMX winner, and won seven gold medals from national BMX competitions. He’s the only Thai rider to have secured a spot in Paris in the 2023 Asian Championships in Tagaytay, Philippines, and it will be his first time at the Summer Olympics.
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Written by
Vichayuth Chantan
Digital Writer, Drinks and Dining
Writer by day, skinny legend by night, "Kook" Vichayuth works closely with Bangkok's F&B industry. His hobbies include bar-hopping, catching up with friends, and silently judging you from across the room.
