WONGPATTANAKIT Panipak

General
ROAD TO OLYMPIC GOLD
She considered quitting taekwondo after winning bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro as she had hoped to secure gold. Coach Choi Young-Seok convinced her not to give up, and she went on to claim gold in the women's -49kg class at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. "When I won the bronze medal back then, everyone thought it was a great achievement. But for me, it was a nightmare and it was a painful moment. In a fraction of a second, I blew it. I was so disappointed that I told my coach I did not want to continue. But after two months, I really missed taekwondo and resumed training. [Ahead of the Tokyo final] I told myself that, after all those times I cried, or was in pain for months during the preparation, that day was my only chance. I only had six minutes to compete, and no matter how many seconds were left I would give my all. Even if I failed, I wouldn't regret it because I had done my best." (bangkokpost, 29 Mar 2022; thaipbsworld, 16 Aug 2021)

RETIREMENT PLANS
She intends to retire from competitive sport after the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She wants to let her body recover from past injuries. "The doctor said that I could continue to compete, but I have to work on other muscles to help my hips. I have also had a torn anterior cruciate ligament. After the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, I will stop competing. After that, I will heal my whole body. For the future, I want to open a small gym, open a cafe. I want to pass the knowledge and experience that I have to the kids and do what I love." (MGR Sport Facebook page, 04 Apr 2023)

She became the first taekwondoka representing Thailand to win gold at the Olympic Games by securing victory in the women's -49kg category at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 26 Apr 2022)