Thai women win first Asian Games beach volleyball gold in 28 years
Thai pair Taravadee Naraphornrapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee beat China to win the nation’s first Asian Games women’s beach volleyball gold in 28 years.
- Thailand’s Taravadee Naraphornrapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee won the women's beach volleyball gold at the Asian Games.
- The victory is Thailand's first gold medal in the event for 28 years, with their previous title won in 1998.
- The Thai pair defeated the top-seeded Chinese duo of Yan Xu and Xia Xinyi 2-1 in a three-set final.
Thailand’s Taravadee Naraphornrapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee ended a 28-year wait for women’s beach volleyball gold at the Asian Games after defeating China in the final of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.
The Thai pair, known as “Bright” and “Best”, defeated the top-seeded Chinese duo of Yan Xu and Xia Xinyi 2-1 in a three-set contest.
Thailand took the opening set 21-17 before China responded with a 21-13 win in the second. Taravadee and Worapeerachayakorn then regained control in the deciding set, winning 15-8 to secure Thailand’s gold medal.
The victory marked Thailand’s first Asian Games gold in women’s beach volleyball since 1998, when the country hosted the Games and Manatsanan Pangka and Rattanaporn Arlaisuk claimed the title.
Taravadee and Worapeerachayakorn entered the tournament as fourth seeds, while Yan and Xia were seeded first. The Thai pair had also won gold at the Asian Beach Games in April.
