Thailand’s Panipak wins historic flyweight gold

Thailand erupted with joy last night as Panipak Wongpattanakit won the country’s first Olympic gold medal by defending her Tokyo title in the taekwondo women’s flyweight division against China’s Guo Qing.

Panipak, who will retire after the Paris Games, ended her career on a perfect note as she became the first Thai athlete in any sport to win two Olympic gold medals on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old won 6-3, 2-3, 6-2, clinching the victory with two head kicks that earned three points each.

The final match was the toughest she fought that day, having previously sailed through her earlier bouts with two-round wins.

She confirmed her retirement, celebrated the gold by grabbing a Thai flag, and jumped into her coach’s arms.

“I have so much pain,” she said on the eve of her 27th birthday. “I have a broken knee, and my ankle, my hip… Now, I have to retire.”

“I have a gym in Thailand,” she told a reporter, adding with a smile: “If you want to train with me, come to Thailand.”

Photo: Gold Medallist Thailand’s Panipak Wongpattanakit celebrates on the podium with her medal after winning the taekwondo women’s -49kg event of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Grand Palais in Paris on August 7.//AFP