Teenage Pongsakorn provides 500m title, all-Thai boccia last guarantees best-ever haul for Kingdom
Thailand have actually been ensured of their best-ever gold-medal haul in the history of the Paralympics with 6 gold medals in hand at the Rio Games.
2 days before the closing event of the 15th Paralympic Games, the 54-strong Thai contingent in 10 sports has actually currently won 5 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals.
The 6th gold will be formally contributed to the Kingdom’s tally today as boccia world champ Worawut Saengampa and compatriot Watcharaphon Vongsa have actually established an all-Thai last in the combined individual-BC2.
Thailand have actually likewise exceeded their four-gold target in Rio.
Their previous finest in the Paralympic Games was taped at Sydney 2000, where they declared 5 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze medals.
Up until now, Thailand’s general haul in the Paralympics stands at 18 gold, 22 silver and 24 bronze medals considering that participating in the competitors for the very first time in 1984.
The 5th gold in Rio originated from increasing star Pongsakorn Paeyo in the males’s 800m-T53 the other day which provided Thailand a tie for 20th area with South Africa in general.
” The outcomes promote themselves and assess how well our professional athletes have actually carried out up until now,” stated Chutinant Bhirombhakdi, president of the Paralympic Committee of Thailand.
” Considering his age, Pongsakorn has actually produced a piece de resistance and he will certainly show to be a great possession for the nation in the long run.”
Debutant Pongsakorn, 19, appears to have actually taken over from his own idol Prawat Woharam, a winner of 7 gold medals in wheelchair racing.
Khon Kaen native Pongsakorn got his 2nd gold in Rio, winning the 800m race in 1:40.78 minutes.
Pierre Fairbank (1:40.97) of France and 100m gold medallist Brent Lakatos (1:41.09) of Canada can be found in 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Previously, Pongsakorn won the gold in the 400m and silver in the 100m.
” I put in my best shot due to the fact that it is my very first look in the most significant sports occasion for the handicapped,” Pongsakorn stated.
” I targeted this occasion [800m] due to the fact that no Thais have actually ever won it. I am very delighted and pleased with myself for making it.”
Seeking his very first Paralympic gold, Saichon Konjen opted for the silver in the 800m-T54, ending up the race in 1:34.74 minutes which improved his time in London 2012, where he took the bronze.
Saichon in truth crossed the goal in 3rd location however second-placed Yassine Gharbi of Tunisia was disqualified.
The gold medal went to Marcel Hug (1:33.76) of Switzerland and the bronze to Kim Guy-Dae (1:34.98) of South Korea.
It was the 2nd medal for Saichon in Rio after getting the bronze in the 5,000m-T54. Saichon will contend in 2 more occasions.
Thailand likewise took the bronze medal in the 1,500m-T52 from Pichaya Kurattanasiri, who clocked 3:53.96 minutes. Martin Raymond (3:40.63) of the United States was the winner and Sato Tomoki (3.41.70) of Japan was 3rd.
” It is an excellent sensation to win the medal. This is an unique present for my daddy, who has actually been supporting me,” Pichaya stated.
In boccia, world champ Worawut beat Jeong So-Yeong of South Korea 10-1 in the semi-finals to fulfill Watcharaphon for the gold in the combined individual-BC2. Watcharaphon beat Yan Zhiqiang of China in the other semi-final.
In the BC4, Pornchok Larpyen lost to Leung Yuk Wing of Hong Kong in the semi-finals, and will fulfill Seo Hyeon-Seok of South Korea in the bronze-medal contest.
Safeguarding champ Pattaya Tadtong was beaten by David Smith of Great Britain in the quarter-finals of the combined individual-BC1.
