Thailand became the sports delegation with the largest number of athletes at the 19th Asian Games, with 939 people and great ambitions.
Host China ranked second with 887 athletes. Following were South Korea with 867, Japan (773), Hong Kong (688), India (655). Countries with more than 400 athletes also included Kazakhstan (527), Taiwan (5240, Singapore (431), Indonesia (415), Mongolia (408). Vietnam with 337 athletes ranked 14th.
Five years ago, Thailand sent 829 athletes to the 18th Asian Games, second only to host Indonesia and China.
Panipak Wongpattanakit won a gold medal in the women's 49kg taekwondo category at the 18th Asian Games. Photo: Reuters
Thailand will compete in all 40 sports at the 19th Asian Games and aim to win between 15 and 23 gold medals. The only time Thailand won 15 or more gold medals was at the 1998 Asian Games on home soil, with 24 gold, 26 silver and 40 bronze medals to finish fourth overall.
Thailand also wants to reclaim the top spot in Southeast Asia. In the most recent edition, Thailand ranked 12th in the overall standings with 11 gold medals, 16 silver medals, and 46 bronze medals. Meanwhile, Indonesia, the host, ranked fourth with 31 gold medals, 24 silver medals, and 43 bronze medals.
The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT)'s Elite Sports Development Department predicts that 23 gold medals could be won, including boxing (5 gold medals), sepak takraw, athletics (3), karate (2), jujutsu, taekwondo, shooting, eSports, sailing, horse riding, roller skating, cycling, kabaddi and canoeing.
Thai badminton prodigy Kunlavut Vitidsarn. Photo: AFP
Thailand's number one hope is taekwondo fighter Panipak Wongpattanakit in the 49kg category. The 26-year-old athlete won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games and a gold medal at the 18th Asian Games. Panipak aims to win a gold medal as this is the last Asian Games of her career.
In addition, Thailand also has athletics prodigy Puripol Boonson to hope for in the men's 100m, 200m and 4x100m distances. Badminton prodigy Kunlavut Vitidsarn has just won the 2023 world championship. Meanwhile, boxing, sepak takraw and women's volleyball are always strong sports.
Hieu Luong
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