Key Info
- Name: Kunlavut Vitidsarn
- Nickname: "View"
- Born: 11 May 2001
- Height: 1.77 m
- Nationality: Thai
- Known for: Thai badminton athlete
- Instagram: @kunlavut.v
The 2024 Paris Olympic Match Highlights
On the 5th of August, 2024, Kunlavut Vitidsarn, better known as "View," made history for Thailand with a sensational performance by clinching the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the men’s singles category at only 23 years old. This marks Thailand’s first medal at this year’s Olympic Games.
The much-anticipated finals pitch View against Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen. Viktor is the previous gold medallist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The match lasted for 52 minutes, with scores of 21-11 and 21-11. The match concluded with View taking home the silver medal. It was a proud moment for View and Thailand, with many Thais praising the young athlete’s performance.
Leading up to this victory, View secured the quarter-finals in a match against China’s Shi Yuqi on the 3rd of August, the world’s number-one-ranked badminton player, with a score of 21-12 and 21-10, making history for Thailand by entering the semi-finals for the first time in two decades. View went on to defeat Lee Jii Zia from Malaysia in the semi-finals on the 4th of August, with scores of 21-14 and 21-15 before facing Viktor Axelsen in the final.
Read more on the Olympic badminton finals
Early Life
"View" Kunlavut was born on 11 May 2001, in Chonburi, Thailand. View started playing badminton at age 7, as his father, Nattawat Vitidsarn, was a badminton coach. View was exposed to the sport and demonstrated a natural talent at a young age. He started practising badminton more seriously and competed in national youth and junior competitions under the Senanikhom Badminton Club.
In 2014, at 13 years old, he moved to the Banthongyord Badminton School, where he gained the opportunity to compete both nationally and internationally, winning first place in the Thailand Youth Badminton Championship in the under-14 age group. He won multiple national and international medals, including gold medals in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 World Junior Championships.
Previous Career Records
"View" Kunlavut participated at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics and took the silver medal in the mixed team category. His talent for the sport was later recognised by Eddy Choong Most Promising Player of the Year 2020 and 2021. View clinched the gold medal at the 2021 SEA Games.
In 2022 View won the silver medal at the World Championships and in the following year, he won the gold medal at the 2023 World Championships and became Thailand’s first world badminton champion in men’s singles after beating Japan’s Kodai Naraoka at the BWF World Championship in Denmark. View reached a career-high of world number 3 in June 2023.
Currently, his career record is an impressive 373 wins and 133 losses and ranks 8th in the BWF World Championships rankings.
