Kamonchanok replaces Olympic taekwondo medallist Panipak at World Championships

Chatchai Che, aka ‘Coach Che’, the Thai national taekwondo coach, has decided to select Kamonchanok Seeken to compete at the World Championships, in place of Panipak Wongpattanakit, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, who announced her retirement after the last Olympic Games.

Kamonchanok became interested in and began practicing taekwondo at the age of three. She joined the Thai national team when she was only 13 and is known for her strength and excellent forward kicks, although she still needs to work on her concentration.

Turning 18 next year, Kamonchanok recently achieved her greatest success so far by winning her first championship in the 49kg category, at the 28th Zagreb Croatia Open, held on November 16 and 17. She has previously won medals in other international competitions and is likely to be the main competitor in the 49 kg category in major events like the SEA Games and the World Championship in 2025

Kamonchanok said she is happy that Coach Che chose her, but admits that she still needs to work on many aspects. She added that she aims to compete mainly in the 49kg category.

Coach Che said he is quite satisfied with Kamonchanok’s first result, winning her first championship. The plan is for her to compete in the 46kg and 49kg categories in important events like the World Championship next year.