Winning an Olympic gold medal on your birthday is a rare achievement, which is why Panipak “Tennis” Wongpattanakit called it the best gift of her life.
On Wednesday, Panipak made history by becoming the first Thai athlete to win two Olympic gold medals in any sport. She defended her title from the Tokyo Games and secured Thailand’s first gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Celebrating her 27th birthday on August 8, Panipak expressed her immense joy and pride: “I am very happy and proud to make history for Thailand. This medal is the reward for all my hard work and dedication.” She also expressed her gratitude to her coach Choi Young Seok, Pimol Srivikorn, also known as ‘Big A,’ the President of the Thai Taekwondo Association, as well as all her coaches and teammates who supported her journey. “This gold medal is the best birthday present of my life, and I want to dedicate it to all the Thai people who cheered me on. Despite the numerous injuries I have had to overcome, I am grateful for everyone’s support and compassion, and I want to give back to everyone,” she added.
Panipak also reflected on the difference between her first gold medal at the Tokyo Games and this second one: “This time, everyone tried to study me more closely because they knew my strengths and techniques. The challenge was to analyze each competitor thoroughly, which made it a very demanding experience.”
After grabbing a Thai flag and jumping into her coach’s arms, the two-time Olympic gold medalist spoke about the stress she had been under: “I was very stressed, but I had a psychologist who helped me and advised me to treat this as just another match like the Paris Open. I had already played against all my opponents and knew their strengths and weaknesses, which helped me stay relaxed and focused. I restarted after every point because I knew anything could change, and I had to give it my all.”
In her final match, Panipak trailed in the first round against Guo Qing of China but rallied with two consecutive kicks to the body and head. Guo fought back to force a decider, but Panipak prevailed after video reviews confirmed she had successfully landed two spectacular head kicks.
“In the last 30 seconds, I felt like it was my last chance, and since I had nothing to lose, I gave it my all. Like I said, if I was going to lose, I wanted to lose knowing that I had given my best. I kicked with all my might and asked Coach Choi for a video replay. Everything went as I had hoped, and I enjoyed the game, fulfilling my potential,” she concluded.
Panipak, who hails from Surat Thani, comes from a family deeply involved in sports. Her father is a swimming instructor, and her mother is both a swimmer and an aerobics dance instructor. Her nickname, “Tennis,” reflects her parents’ love for sports—they named their three children after different sports: the eldest son is named Baseball, the second daughter is named Bowling, and the youngest is Tennis.
Panipak started taekwondo at the age of seven, initially training casually until, at nine, she decided to compete in Phuket, motivated by her father’s promise of a reward if she won a medal. Although she lost and faced ridicule from her classmates, the experience ignited her determination to take the sport seriously. She continued to train diligently, facing setbacks and disappointments until she won a small competition at age 12. By 13, she had won gold at the National Youth Games, marking the beginning of her journey as a member of the Thai national team.
After joining the national team, Panipak went on to win 27 championships and a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics. She thrilled the nation by winning Thailand’s first taekwondo gold medal at the 2020 Olympics and made history again with her second gold medal.
“I have so much pain,” she said on the eve of her 27th birthday. “I had a broken knee. And my ankle, my hip… Now, I have to retire.”
Panipak announced her plans to support young athletes after her retirement from the Paris Olympics by founding the “Panipak Gym.” She even joked with reporters, saying, “If anyone wants to send their kids to learn Taekwondo with me, they can come to Panipak Gym.”
Her lighthearted remark brought laughter from the Thai reporters following the Olympic news in Paris.
