FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

Bt1m silver lining for Porntip after defeat in Youth Olympic final

Bt1m silver lining for Porntip after defeat in Youth Olympic final

Lightweight Porntip Buapa had to be content with the silver medal as Thailand concluded their campaign in the Youth Olympic Games with a final tally of five gold medals in Buenos Aires on Friday (Thailand time).

Bt1m silver lining for Porntip after defeat in Youth Olympic final

Porntip Buapa

 The 17-year-old Porntip, the last Thai boxer in action on the final day of the Games, lost 5-0 to Briton Caroline Sara Dubois in the girls’ 60kg final. The Asian Youth champion had no match for the world No 1 and World Youth champion Dubois, who extended her unbeaten run of bouts to 35.
 “I really had a tough time today,” said Pornthip. “I could barely find any momentum against her. She had all the weapons and more experience. That’s why she is the World Youth champion,” she added.
 The Thai teenager was, however, content with the silver medal which will earn her a Bt1 million payout from the government.
 “I’ve come further than I had expected and will take this as a lesson for the future. As for the money, I will give some to my parents and keep some for my education,” Pornthip said.
 Juan Fontaniels, national coach for the women’s boxing team, was pleased that his girls completed the Games with one gold [from featherweight Panpatchara Somnuek] and one silver.
 “We have to accept that Pornthip’s opponent was too strong,” said the Cuban coach. “Pornthip gave everything she could out there but it was not enough. But one gold and one silver for my girls is not so bad. They will definitely be key resources for the national team in the future.”
 The Thai boxing team sent five fighters in the Games and each won a medal. In the boys’ and men’s events, there was a gold for lightweight Atichai Phoemsap, silver for flyweight Sarawut Sukthet and bronze for middleweight Weerapon Jongjoho.
 Somchai Poolsavasdi, Thai Boxing Association’s technical chief, said two gold medals made Thailand the most successful Asian country in the Games boxing competition, while Uzbekistan won only one gold and Kazakhstan failed to win even one. Both eastern European nations are normally boxing powerhouses.
 “We achieved far more than we had expected. Every boxer will return home with a medal. This history will be always remembered,” Somchai said.
 With five golds, five silvers and two bronzes, Thailand finished 12th on the medals tables.
Russia, China and Japan dominated the top three with 29, 18 and 15 gold medals respectively. The other three golds by Thailand were won by Kanthida Saengsin in the women’s taekwondo 55kg, Supatchanin Khamhaeng in the women’s weightlifting 63kg and Atthaya Thitikul and Vanchai Luangnitikul in the mixed team golf. 

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