Banlung wins men’s 68kg taekwondo gold for Thailand at Asian Games 2026
Banlung Tubtimdang beat Iran’s Mahdi Hajimousaei Nafouti 2–0 in the men’s 68kg final in Japan, while Natkamon Wasana added women’s 57kg bronze.
- Banlung Tubtimdang won the men's 68kg taekwondo gold medal for Thailand at the 2026 Asian Games.
- He defeated Iran’s Mahdi Hajimousaei Nafouti 2–0 in the final match.
- Banlung secured the victory by making comebacks in both rounds after initially trailing his opponent.
- The win marked Banlung's second Asian Games title and was Thailand's 18th gold medal of the event.
Thailand’s Banlung Tubtimdang won the men’s 68kg taekwondo gold medal at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on October 3, 2026, defeating Iran’s Mahdi Hajimousaei Nafouti 2–0 in rounds.
Banlung’s victory secured his second Asian Games title and delivered Thailand’s 18th gold medal of the competition, adding to the country’s Asian Games medal haul.
Late comebacks secure Banlung’s victory
Banlung came from behind in both rounds to secure the title. The Thai fighter trailed for much of the opening round before a late scoring surge earned him a 5–4 win and a 1–0 lead.
Banlung fell 0–2 behind in the second round but landed a head kick in the final 20 seconds to move ahead 3–2. The Thai fighter held on to complete a straight-rounds victory over his Iranian opponent.
Natkamon adds women’s 57kg bronze
Thailand’s Natkamon “Khanom Jeeb” Wasana, an 18-year-old rising talent, also won bronze in the women’s 57kg division.
