Just a handful of Thai professional athletes achieved success on the global phase in 2022 and young golf player Atthaya Thitikul stuck out amongst her compatriots.
In her very first season on the LPGA Trip, the 19-year-old prodigy won 2 occasions– the JTBC Classic and the NW Arkansas Champion.
Thanks to the triumphes, the world No. 2 from Ratchaburi won the points-based LPGA Novice of the Year award to end up being the 3rd Thai to declare the honours after Patty Tavatanakit (2021) and Moriya Jutanugarn (2013 ).
” I more than happy to have actually made my nation proud,” she stated after being guaranteed of the award with 2 competitions left in the season.
” My novice year has actually been truly enjoyable and unforgettable.”
It’s certainly an unforgettable year for the teenage phenom.
Her very first success can be found in March at the JTBC Classic at Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, California in her only 5th LPGA Trip start.
She beat Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark in a play-off.
” It implies the world to me. I understand my moms and dads and coaches back house are viewing me now. It’s significant to everybody not simply me,” Atthaya stated after her advancement success.
She made her 2nd title in September at the NW Arkansas Champion with another play-off victory over Danielle Kang of the United States at Peak Nation Club.
She ended up being the second-youngest world No. 1 in females’s golf history on Oct 31, when she supplanted South Korea’s Ko Jin-Young.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko was 17 when she initially topped the rankings in 2015.
Atthaya is the 2nd Thai to arrive of the world rankings after Ariya Jutanugarn.
” It implies a lot for my group, my household, my advocates and myself,” stated Atthaya.
” It is such an honour to have my name on top among the greatest names of the video game. I will continue to strive for my household, my group, my fans and my nation.”
This year, she had the greatest variety of birdies on the LPGA Trip (450) and top-10 surfaces (16 ).
Golf enthusiast Atthaya Thitikul positions with the LPGA Novice of the Year prize.( Image: AFP)
In the significant champions, she had 2 top-10 surfaces– 4th at the Women’s PGA Champion and T7 at the Women’s British Open.
Atthaya’s increase in the expert ranks follows an impressive amateur profession that saw her end up being the youngest individual ever to win an expert competition at the 2017 Ladies European Thailand Champion at 14 years, 4 months and 19 days.
She won the occasion once again in 2019 prior to turning expert in 2020.
Prior to her novice season on the LPGA Trip, Atthaya won Novice of the Year and Gamer of the Year honours and the Race to Costa del Sol on the Ladies European Trip (LET) in 2021 after 2 wins.
History-making rider
Somkiat Chantra, who turned 24 on Dec 15, raced to a historical maiden Moto2 success at the Indonesian Grand Prix.
Somkiat, of Idemitsu Honda Group Asia, ended up being the very first Thai rider to win any class of grand prix racing after he clocked a time of 25 minutes 40.876 seconds, 3.230 sec ahead of second-placed Celestino Vietti of Italy.
Somkiat shot from 4th on the grid to control a Moto2 race that was reduced from 25 to 16 laps due to security issues over track conditions in the severe Indonesian heat that struck 43C.
” I am really delighted to win the title,” stated Somkiat of Chon Buri.
” I had a look at the track prior to the race and felt OK. Although it was harder throughout the race, I lastly won it.”
Somkiat likewise declared 3 other podium surfaces this season.
Somkiat ended up second in Austria and Argentina and 3rd at Le Mans, and was 10th on the planet champion standings.
” I did much better than my pre-season target,” he stated after his 4th season on the planet champion.
” I feel that I have actually made development with success in Indonesia. I am positive that I will be all set for the fight for the [Moto2] world title in 2023.”
Faster than Bolt
Sprinter Puripol Boonson responds after winning the 200m title at the SEA Games. (Image: Reuters)
Sprinter Puripol Boonson, 16, was among the youngest professional athletes at this year’s SEA Games however ended his project in Vietnam as one of the brightest stars.
He won 3 golds medals in the males’s 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay to highlight his status as a possible international sprint star of the future.
Puripol of Samut Prakan two times broke the SEA Games 200m record, his finest time of 20.37 secs sealing his very first gold.
” My target is to attempt and regularly enhance my record and break my own record,” Puripol stated.
The ruling fastest male in Southeast Asia, whose profession best over 100m is 10.19 sec, has actually been compared to retired sprint king Usain Bolt.
” I have actually never ever seen somebody from Asia move like that and at that age,” stated retired sprinter UK Shyam, Singapore’s 100m nationwide record-holder, according to The Straits Times. ” Simply believe: his time implies he’s faster than Usain Bolt was when Bolt was at 16.”
Puripol burst onto the scene at the National Games in March when he swept the 100m and 200m titles and set brand-new records in both occasions.
He clocked 10.19 sec to break Thailand’s record of 10.23 sec set by Reanchai Sihawong at the 1998 Asian Games.
In the 200m, Puripol crossed the line in 20.58 sec, breaking the nationwide mark of 20.69 sec set by Reanchai at the 1999 SEA Games.
Badminton stars Nuntakarn, right, and Benyapa Aimsaard gesture throughout the BWF World Trip Finals.
‘ The next super star’
Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat, Thailand’s teenage golf feeling, lastly accomplished the difficult when he declared the US$ 750,000 Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup– ending up being the youngest male gamer to win on among the video game’s significant trips, the Asian Trip stated in a short article.
The teen sealed the success at Siam Nation Club in Pattaya in an occasion co-sanctioned by the Asian Trip and the Ladies European Trip in April.
Ratchanon at 15 years of ages and 37 days old surpassed the previous finest youngest winner mark set by Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa, who was 15 years and 8 months when won the Japan Trip’s 2007 Munsingwear Open KSB Cup.
On the Asian Trip, Thailand’s Chinnarat Phadungsil was the previous youngest champ, having actually declared the 2005 Double A International Open when he was 17 years and 5 days old.
Ratchanon has actually ended up being a global star given that his great efficiencies on the Asian Trip late in 2021.
His accomplishment triggered LIV Golf to welcome him to participate in its inaugural occasion.
” He’s the next super star. We’re considering that chance to that kid or an amateur to come in here to have that chance,” stated LIV Golf chief Greg Norman.
Badminton siblings
The Aimsaard siblings, Benyapa and Nuntakarn, aged 20 and 23 respectively, were not familiar faces on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Trip prior to the start of this season.
With their females’s doubles title win at the India Open, the Aimsaards started the year on an advantageous note, and ultimately showed they belonged in the leading league, stated a short article on the BWF site.
Runners-up at the Korea and Australian Opens, and winners in Vietnam and the Hylo Open in Germany, the Thais took pleasure in a meteoric increase in 2022.
They beat their senior compatriots Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai in the Hylo Open championship.
The siblings came close to winning the title at the season-ending BWF World Trip Finals in Bangkok previously this month when they lost to China’s Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan 21-13, 21-14 in the title face-off.
Golf enthusiast Ratchanon Chantananuwat holds the Asian Combined Cup prize.( Image: AFP)
The siblings had actually beat Jeong Na-Eun and Kim Hye-Jeong of South Korea two times on their method to the last.
” They revealed fantastic enhancement this year,” stated Thai badminton chief Patama Leeswadtrakul.
