Panipak Wongpattanakit: I can win another Olympic gold medal in Paris
After claiming her third consecutive SEA Games title in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Taekwondo Olympic champion talks about her next goals, her idol and why she loves her sport so much.
Taekwondo
Thailand's Panipak Wongpattanakit is one of the biggest names at the SEA Games in Vietnam, and she has not disappointed.
The Taekwondo -49kg Olympic champion from Tokyo 2020 claimed gold after defeating Myanmar's Julius Dhaysi Oo in dominant fashion, 29-0, on Thursday (19 May).
At just 24, the win marks her third consecutive SEA Games title, and with age on her side, there could well be more to come.
Speaking to Olympics.com after her victory in Hanoi, the Thai star opens up on being a role model in her home country, and explains why she aims for a third consecutive Olympic medal at Paris 2024 after a gold and a bronze: "I think I can, if I do my best," she said.
You can read the full Q&A below.
Q&A with Panipak Wongpattanakit
Olympics : How has your life changed since winning Olympic gold?
Panipak Wongpattanakit:I met a lot of people. I have a lot of new fans. They like to take pictures and videos with me. I'm very happy to meet everybody.
O: What are you thinking about Paris 2024?
PW: I hope to go to another Olympic Games and get an Olympic medal again. I think I can, if I do my best. Every time I'm winning so I hope I can get gold at Paris.
O: How do you feel about the next generation who are coming behind you?
PW: The next generation are good, exciting, have me as their idol, so I am very happy.
O: Why do you love taekwondo?
PW: I love it because my family loves sport, my parents love sport, in my family all children nickname is sport, they call me tennis, my sisters name is bowling and my brothers name is baseball. Everything is (about) sport. We love sport!
O: What sport did you play growing up?
PW: I played every sport growing up. Running, swimming, volleyball, but taekwondo is the best.
O: Who is your idol?
PW: My father is my idol. He does everything with me, every day he running with me when I was younger. Running, swimming, everything, every time he did it together with me.
O: Who is your Olympic idol?
PW: (Double Olympic champion) Wu Jingyu from China, she is my idol. She kicks so fast, I watched her and I have to love her and now I win (like her).