Taekwondo star Panipak Wongpattanakit (right) on her way to winning gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: AFP)One of them is female taekwondo fighter Panipak Wongpattanakit, who was one ofThailand's only two athletes with podium finishes at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,along with boxing bronze medallist Sudaporn Seesondee.
The 24-year-old also claimed bronze at the2016 Rio Olympics, and is said to be one of the greatest Thai athletes of all time, having wongolds at two world championships, one from theAsian Games and one from the Youth Olympics, among others.
She is the top-ranked fighter in the women's 49kg division and has been unbeaten foryears. She is the two-time SEA Games defending championin the category.
Another is femaleOlympic boxing bronze medallist Sudaporn Seesondee, one of Thailand's onlytwo medallists at the Tokyo Games along with taekwondo champion PanipakWongpattanakit.
The Udon Thani boxer became a household name in Thailand after her third-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Sudaporn has also won a silver and a bronze at the worldchampionships and a silver at the Asian Games. Surprisingly, Sudaporn has never won a gold medalat major international events.
Now 30, this could be her best and last chance towin a SEA Games gold medal.
The third one, femaleweightlifter Sanikun Tanasarn, is one of Thailand's most successfulweightlifters, having won gold at the 2016 Olympics in the 48kg division andclaimed the title in the 53kg class at the 2017 world championships.
Unfortunately, she was not allowed to compete inthe Tokyo Olympics as the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (Tawa) wasbanned from taking part in the tournament after a number of its athletes testedpositive for banned substances during the 2018 world championships. Sanikun herself was also suspended for two yearsfrom January 2019.
The Chumphon native will compete in the 55kg classin Vietnam and will be eager for redemption.
The next one, golfer Ratchanon Chantananuwat,who claimed the Asian Mixed Cup in Pattaya last month, becomes the youngestmale player to win on one of the game's major tours, at 15 years and 37 days old. The teenage amateur beat a host of professionalsin the event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Ladies European Tour.
Ratchanon came close to winning the SingaporeInternational earlier this year when he finished third, two shots off the lead.
The last one is teenage runner Puripol Boonson, who burst onto the scene at the National Gamesin March when he swept the 100m and 200m titles and set new records in bothevents.
Thai officials believe 16-year-old Puripol, who stands 1.83mtall, could become the first Thai to run under 10sec over 100m.
However, SEA Games 31 will be Puripol's firstinternational event and he has to prove his talent./.
