Thailand’s five top hopes work hard in the final stage of the preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games

The Thai boxing team trains in their base training camp in Muak Lek together with the Filipinos to prepare well to the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games. Thitisan Panmod, Chatchai Decha Butdee and Sudaporn Seesondee are their best hopes in the Olympic Games which will be held in bubble system without spectators.

Thailand earned Olympic gold medals in boxing at the 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing editions which titles were achieved by their national heroes as Somluck Kamsing, Wijan Ponlid, Manus Boonjumnong and Somjit Jongjohor. Their last medal was a silver which bagged by Kaeo Pongprayoon at the men’s light flyweight (49kg) in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Thailand qualified five boxers to the Tokyo Olympic Games and among them four earned their spots at the Asian & Oceanian Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event in Amman, Jordan. Their fifth quota was secured through the BTF Ranking but some of their best talents and world class boxers will be missing from the Games.

Thailand’s top talents such as Youth Olympic Games winner Atichai Phoemsap, ASBC Asian Youth Champion Weerapon Jongjoho and ASBC Asian Women’s Boxing Championships silver medallist Nilawan Techasuep are expected to earn spots at the World Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event but the competition has been cancelled.

Thailand’s Sudaporn Seesondee claimed silver medal at the New Delhi 2018 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and she is the main female hope of the country at the Tokyo Olympic Games. The Thai lightweight (60kg) boxer is member of the national team since 2010 and after 11 years of strong experiences she is among the favourites in Tokyo. Brazil’s Beatriz Ferreira, Ireland’s Kellie Harrington, Great Britain’s Caroline Dubois, Finland’s Mira Potkonen and the top Asians are the gold medal contenders of this weight class.

Baison Manikon achieved gold medal at the Ulaanbaatar 2019 ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships after two years of experiences in the sport. The 19-year-old welterweight (69kg) talent achieved bronze at the Asian & Oceanian Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event which was her career highlight and she will be the youngest woman Olympian in Tokyo. Jutamas Jitpong will be Thailand’s third female Olympian in Japan who received the right to attend at the flyweight (51kg) based on her BTF Ranking.

A 20-year-old super talent at the flyweight (52kg), Thitisan Panmod claimed medals in the 2017 and 2018 ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships and earned gold at the Budapest 2018 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. Panmod joined to the elite national team immediately and recovering from his illness, he defeated Uzbekistan’s Olympic Games winner Shakhobiddin Zoirov in Amman therefore he could be a sensation in Tokyo.

Thailand’s second qualified male boxer is Chatchai Decha Butdee who can prepare to his third Olympic Games. The 36-year-old veteran claimed medals in all levels of boxing including the AIBA World Boxing Championships, ASBC Asian Boxing Championships, Southeast Asian Games and many other events. Butdee is aiming for his first Olympic medal and probably Tokyo will be his last appearance in the international events.

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