Her Majesty the Queen was one of Thailand’s most outstanding athletes in 2023.
The Queen participated in the 35th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta as a crew member of Vayu THA72 in the IRC Zero class on the final day of the tournament earlier this month.
THA72 won both races on that day in the prestigious international competition.
Kevin Whitcraft, president of the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organising Committee, said the Queen showcased flawless sailing skills and talent comparable to those of professional athletes.
Her Majesty’s participation in the annual international sailing event was to honour and preserve the legacy of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great.
The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta was launched in 1987 to celebrate the 60th birthday of the late monarch.
The late King Rama IX was a fine athlete and took part in sailing at the Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games (now the SEA Games) in 1967.
The King and his daughter Princess Ubolratana were joint winners in the OK dinghy class of the sailing tournament which was held in Pattaya.
Meanwhile, the following day after the end of the the 2023 Phuket King’s Cup Regatta, the Queen participated in a running event at Suvarnabhumi airport.
She finished the 10km race in one hour, one minute and 45 seconds.
Earlier, Her Majesty took part and scored in an ice hockey match.
‘View’ reigns supreme
Badminton star Kunlavut Vitidsarn defeated Kodai Naraoka of Japan in the final of the BWF World Championships in Copenhagen.
With the victory, the 22-year-old became Thailand’s first badminton world champion in the men’s singles event.
It is the country’s third world crown in the sport after Ratchanok Intanon in the women’s singles in 2013 and Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai in the mixed doubles in 2021.
“I’m very happy. This has been a dream for me since I was a child,” said Kunlavut, who lost to Viktor Axelsen in the final at the 2022 World Championships.
“I had three targets when I was young — the Olympic Games, World Championships and All England. Now I have achieved one of those, so two are left.”
Nicknamed ‘View’, the Chon Buri native also won two other events in India and Thailand this year.
Kunlavut Vitidsarn
‘Tennis’ wins again
Taekwondo star Panipak Wongpattanakit secured the first gold medal of the Hangzhou Asian Games for Thailand, defeating China’s Guo Qing in the women’s 49kg final packed with drama and a dose of controversy.
The 26-year-old from Surat Thani rallied from 6-0 down in the final round to beat the home athlete 12-9 for a 2-1 win.
The top-seeded Thai had won the first round and Guo took the second.
In the third round, the second-seeded Chinese raced to a 6-0 lead when suddenly the score soared to 23-0 in favour of Guo.
The Thai team then protested and after a lengthy review the fight resumed with the Chinese leading 6-0.
With about one minute remaining after the restart, Panipak landed four consecutive head kicks for a 12-6 advantage to effectively end the contest.
“This was my last Asian Games and I gave my all. I am very happy,” said Panipak, who is nicknamed ‘Tennis.’
It was her second Asian Games gold medal after her success in Indonesia in 2018.
Panipak said she will retire after the 2024 Olympics in Paris where she will chase her second Games gold medal following her victory at Tokyo 2020.
Taekwondo fighter Panipak Wongpattanakit kisses her gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. (Photo: Tennis panipak wongpattanakit Facebook page)
Somkiat claims Moto2 title
Somkiat Chantra won his second Moto2 title at the Japan Grand Prix.
The Idemitsu Honda Team Asia rider dominated the race from start to finish.
It was the 24-year-old rider’s second career title after his victory at the 2022 Indonesian Grand Prix.
He also finished third at the Thailand Grand Prix and was sixth in the world championship standings.
He was named the best professional athlete of the year for the second time in a row by the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) earlier this month.
Moto2 racer Somkiat Chantra poses with the Japanese Grand Prix trophy. (Reuters photo)
‘TD Keane’ takes gold
Teedech ‘TD Keane’ Songsaisakul beat compatriot Varanan ‘JUBJUB’ Phatanasak in the final of EA Sports FC Online in Hangzhou to become Thailand’s first ever Asian Games champion in e-Sports.
Teedech, whose father Jumphot is a football journalist, said his parents initially did not support him to play online games.
But after Teedech started winning prize money, they gave him their full backing.
“They even go to watch me compete,” Teedech said.
Teedech got huge financial rewards from the government and well-wishers.
Asian Games EA Sports FC Online champion Teedech Songsaisakul. (Photo supplied)
Chanettee lifts LPGA trophy
Teenager Chanettee Wannasaen captured her first LPGA title with a four-stroke victory at the Portland Classic in tournament-record fashion.
Chanettee pulled away in the final round to complete an astonishing romp over a stellar field with 26-under-par 262 score at Columbia Edgewater in Portland.
The 19-year-old Monday qualifier, who missed the cut in her prior nine LPGA starts, shattered the former 72-hole Classic mark of 21-under, becoming the seventh LPGA champion from Thailand and only the third Monday qualifier to win an LPGA title.
“It means everything to me,” Chanettee said with tears welling up. “I have faced the disappointment of missing the cut nine times before this tournament.
“I worked very hard to make it happen. And it has really happened now.”
Chanettee took home the US$225,000 top prize after winning just over $14,700 in 2023 LPGA prize money before Portland.
‘Pink’ crowned world champ
Shuttler Pitchamon Opatniputh won the junior world title after beating Indonesia’s Chiara Marvella Handoyo in the girls’ singles final.
“I feel so proud of myself,” said Pitchamon, who is nicknamed ‘Pink’.
“I feel the pressure is lesser now.”
Pitchamon is the seventh Thai to win the world junior title after Ratchanok (girls’ singles), Kunlavut (boys’ singles), Maneepong Jongjit and Rodjana Chuthabunditkul (mixed doubles) and Kittinupong Kedren and Dechapol Puavaranukroh (boys’ doubles).
Both Ratchanok and Kunlavut went on to win three world junior crowns in a row and later became world champions at the senior level.
Earlier this year, Pitchamon was a member of the Thai women’s team which won the gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.
