Thai boxer Chatchai qualifies for Rio Games
Bantamweight Chatchai Butdee became the second Thai boxer to qualify for the Rio Olympic Games when he outpointed Filipino Mario Farnandez 3-0 (30-27 30-27 30-27) to set up a final clash against Indian Shiva Thapa in the 2016 Asia & Oceania Boxing Olympic
Lightweight Wuttichai Masuk emerged as the first Thai to make the cut for the Rio Games following his third-place finish at the 2015Aiba World Boxing Championships at Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena in Doha last October.
With the top three boxers in each class of the Olympic qualification tournament in China booking their berths to the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Chatchai's convincing win in the semi-finals has ensured him a place in the final round against Indian Shiva Thapa and an Olympic berth.
The 31-year-old Chatchai from Sa Kaeo competed in the men's flyweight at the 2012 Olympic Games, but was defeated in the second round. He switched to the flyweight at the 2013 World Amateur Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan to claim bronze medal and sealed the bantamweight victory at the last year's Asian Championships in Bangkok.
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