Cool Saysunee slices to double gold
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Cool Saysunee slices to double gold

Pongsakorn, Athiwat claim silver medals

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Left Thailand's Saysunee Jana celebrates with her coach after winning gold in the women's foil category B event. (Photos: Reuters)
Left Thailand's Saysunee Jana celebrates with her coach after winning gold in the women's foil category B event. (Photos: Reuters)

Wheelchair fencer Saysunee Jana claimed her second gold medal of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and the fifth overall for Thailand on Wednesday night.

The 50-year-old again defeated her China rival Xiao Rong 15-11 in the gold medal contest of the women's foil category B event at the Grand Palais.

Saysunee also edged Xiao in a 15-14 thriller to win gold in the women's sabre category B event on Tuesday.

However, Saysunee missed out on a chance to win her third medal in Paris after Thailand lost to South Korea 42-45 in the round of 16 of women's team foil event on Thursday.

Meanwhile, wheelchair racer Pongsakorn Paeyo was unable to defend his men's 100-metre T53 title in the athletics competition at the Stade de France.

Above  Silver medallist Pongsakorn Paeyo reacts after the men's 100m T53 race. PR

Above  Silver medallist Pongsakorn Paeyo reacts after the men's 100m T53 race.

The 27-year-old finished second with a time of 14.66 seconds to take a silver medal.

Pongsakorn's Paralympic record of 14.20 still stands as Saudi Arabia's Abdulrahman Alqurashi won gold in 14.48. Brazil's Ariosvaldo Fernandes da Silva took bronze in 15.08.

Pongsakorn won the gold medal in the men's 400m T53 event -- Thailand's first in the Games -- on Sunday.

Fellow Thai Athiwat Paeng-Nuea also failed to retain his 100m T54 title, coming second in 13.79 seconds behind winner Mexico's Juan Pablo Cervantes Garcia in 13.74. Finland's Leo-Pekka Tahti took bronze in 13.86.

Thailand got another bronze medal from para table tennis player Yuttajak Glinbancheun on Thursday.

The 27-year-old had to settle for bronze after he lost to Germany's Thomas Schmidberger 3-0 (11-4, 11-8, 11-8) in the men's singles MS3 semi-finals.

It was his third medal in Paris following his mixed doubles XD7 silver with Wijittra Jaion and the men's doubles MD8 bronze with Wanchai Chaiwut.

Athiwat Paeng-Nuea poses with his silver medal. reuters THOMAS MUKOYA

Athiwat Paeng-Nuea poses with his silver medal.

Phisit Wangphonphathanasiri guaranteed himself a bronze medal after reaching the men's singles MS8 semi-finals on Wednesday.

He beat China's Peng Weinan 3-1 in the quarter-finals and will face Ukraine's Viktor Didukh in the semis on Friday.

Phisit and playing partner Rungroj Thainiyom won silver in the men's doubles MD14 event on Sunday.

Also, boccia players Pornchok Larpyen and Nuanchan Phonsila won another bronze medal for Thailand after they defeated Canada 6-1 in the mixed pairs BC4 event.

In other sports, South Africa's Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole became the first athletes from the African continent to win a Paralympic medal in wheelchair tennis.

They edged Brazil's Leandro Pena and Mane Silva 6-2, 6-4, 10-8 in the quad doubles to win bronze.

There was more success for Africa as Nigerian powerlifter Esther Nworgu claimed a surprise silver medal in the up to 41-kilogramme category and said it felt "like heaven" after she feared she would have to sit out the competition having dislocated her shoulder two days ago.

Nworgu, who lost the use of her legs as a child, only missed out on gold to defending champion Cui Zhe, who led a series of winning Chinese performances, including Guo Lingling's world record of 123kg to win the up to 45kg class.

Nworgu, 21, was effectively lifting the bar with one arm due to the injury.

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