Thai athlete Puripol Boonson snatched the gold in the men’s 200-metre sprint at the XXXI Qosanov Memorial in Almaty Kazakhstan, om Sunday, breaking Thailand’s national record for the third time, with a time of 20.19 seconds.
The 16-year-old Puripol has been on a record-breaking spree in in the last four months. He broke Rienchai Seehawong’s National Games and Thailand record of 20.69 seconds in March, with a time of 20.58 seconds.
After that, he broke his own record at the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in May in Vietnam with a time of 20.37 seconds.
Puripol’s performance in Almaty has also guaranteed him a place to compete in the 2022 World Athletics Championships that will be held in Eugene, Oregon, the United States from July 15 to 24, as he surpassed the criterion of 20.24 seconds for the event set by World Athletics, the sport’s governing body.
However, Surapong Ariyamongkol, secretary-general of the Athletic Association of Thailand, said that Puripol might have to skip the World Athletics Championships.
He said he preferred that Puripol focus on the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia from August 1 to 6. A final decision will be made later after discussions, he said.
Thai golfer Thongchai Jaidee finished fourth at the US Senior Open on Sunday at the Saucon Valley Country Club in Pennsylvania, US.
Thongchai ’s fourth place with a three-under-par 281, alongside American Rob Labritz and Gene Sauers, earned him US$160,576.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Padraig Harrington from Ireland won the event with a 10-under-par 274 and earned $720,000.
American Steve Stricker was second with a nine-under-par 275 and earned $432,000, while Mark Hensby from Australia was third with a four-under-par 280 for $267,254 in prize money.
“I played great all week. I hit the ball very well, but the green made it very difficult. I had like so many three-putts this week. You know the green, right, the green it makes it — it sometimes gets you in the wrong position, you get a different position and it makes it a difficult putt,” Thongchai said.
“I think the way they set it up for a major is fun. I think the golf course is in great condition. I think everything with the spectators is fantastic. I’m really happy with my week. If I finish in the top ten, I’ll be happy for a major.”
After his win a couple of weeks ago, Thongchai said, “Yeah, it give me a lot of confidence to play every week now. I don’t think I lose anything. This week I think has been a very happy week. I think it’s a very tough week.”
Thongchai rated the golf course as “very difficult. If the green conditions are very soft, the pin position is more tough. I think it’s a good major. Ending under par after the four rounds is very good. I am so happy to finish like three-under par.”
“Especially bogeying on the last, I think it’s tough. If you don’t make it in the fairway, it’s going to be trouble.
“On this golf course, you keep it in play, like hit the ball in the fairway then you can attack on the second shot. If you miss alongside the fairway, you can’t control the rough. I think you have some holes you make it, it’s trouble because if cannot find the fairway. A one-under par today is a great round,” Thongchai said.
Phayahong Ayothayafightgym has become the first female Thai boxer to win the K-1 Championship.
Phayahong, whose real name is Jantakan Manobal, prevailed 2-1 in a split decision after four rounds against Miyuu Sugawara of Japan in the K-1: Ring of Venus event at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Shibuya City, Tokyo on Saturday.
Despite an injury on her left knee, Phayahong emerged triumphant, winning the 2022 K-1 Women’s Atomweight title.
Male Thai boxers Buakaw Banchamek, Kaew Weerasakreck, and Kongnapa Weerasakreck had earlier won the event.
Phayahong, who was born in Buriram province, is a cousin of well-known K-pop singer Lisa Blackpink or Lalisa Manobal.
The organiser of the upcoming Manchester United-Liverpool match in Bangkok apologised on Sunday after both Premier League clubs expressed disappointment over the reselling of match tickets.
The controversy kicked off earlier this week when celebrity online vendor Pimrypie offered 20,000 tickets for “The Match: Bangkok Century Cup 2022” at a discounted price. The exhibition match is scheduled to take place at Rajamangala Stadium on July 12. Pimrypie also said some lucky ticket buyers would be able to attend a concert rehearsal by K-pop star Jackson Wang and a private dinner with Wang and the footballers.
The discounted tickets triggered criticism from previous buyers as well as fans of Wang’s group GOT7, who said they felt cheated at paying the full price without receiving the extra benefits.
On Friday, Manchester United and Liverpool issued Facebook statements denying they had resold their own ticket allocations or offered a private dinner with the players. Both Premier League giants said they were disappointed with the confusion caused for their fans in Thailand.
On Saturday, Team Wang issued a similar statement, saying no tickets for the rehearsal or private dinner tickets had been put up for sale.
On Sunday, Vinij Lertratanachai, CEO of the match organiser Fresh Air Festival, apologised for the controversy in an Instagram post.
He said he realised the exhibition match was meaningful for both teams, who had images to protect.
“It isn’t easy working with football clubs that have more than 3 billion fans, as problems come every second,” he added.
He also promised that the July 12 match would create great memories for Manchester United and Liverpool players and fans of the clubs worldwide.
Premier League legends Teddy Sheringham and John Arne Riise joined hundreds of Thai fans participating in “The Match Run 2022” at Indoor Stadium Huamark in Bangkok on Sunday morning.
The 5-kilometre and 10km races served as a warm-up for the exhibition match between Manchester United and Liverpool, which will kick-off next door at Rajamangala Stadium on July 12.
Manchester United ambassador Sheringham and his Liverpool counterpart Riise presented the trophies to winners after the races. Also taking part were well-known radio presenter Katesepsawat Palakawong na Ayutthaya and elite runner Nattawut Innum.
All participants received a T-shirt, goodie bag and face mask.
The Manchester United and Liverpool squads are flying to Bangkok for the first leg of their pre-season tours of Asia. United, led by new coach Erik ten Hag, will also play in Melbourne on July 15 while Liverpool will face Crystal Palace in Singapore on the same day.
Gareth Bale published a video on Saturday (June 25) on social media to announce his arrival at Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC.
Bale posted a video of himself wearing the team’s jersey and cap along with the message “See you soon, Los Angeles.” The tweet was retweeted by LAFC’s official twitter page.
Soccer transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano had earlier said Bale and LAFC had agreed to a one year deal ending in June 2023, but with the option of an extension.
The 32-year-old signed for Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013, scoring 106 goals in 258 appearances for the world’s most decorated soccer club.
The Welshman will be best remembered for scoring twice, including a stunning overhead kick, in the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool and also netting a superb winner against Barcelona in the 2014 Copa del Rey final.
Despite his fine collection of titles – three LaLiga triumphs and five Champions League crowns – Bale’s time at Real was marred by injuries.
Heavy-favourite Chanettee Wannasaen lifted up her seventh trophy of the season following the fourth play-off victory over Samaporn Phangkhun in the Bt 2.5 million SAT-TWT Open Road to World Ranking which was reduced to 36 holes at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club in Pattaya on Friday.
Rain had suspended some Thursday’s unfinished second round play which was expected to resume on Friday’s morning. But Friday’s incessant downpour put the tournament farther behind schedule, forcing orgainisers to decide the winner based on results from two instead of three rounds.
Chanettee and Samaporn were tied at nine under-par-135 after 36 holes and had to set a duel in the extra play on the 18th hole. Both were neck-and-neck by having pars in the first three attempts before Chanettee sank in an eight-foot championship birdie putt to close the deal.
“I was quite excited as I barely had to play in the play-off. My hands were shaking in the first play-off hole but after that things got better,” said the 18-year-old prodigy who has won three TrustGolf Tour titles, two local women’s tour events and the LPGA Thailand National Qualifiers this year. She has won a total nine career titles.
The win, her first play-off success as a professional player, serves up as a psychological boost before she enters three European tournaments including the Women’s Scottish Open in July.
“I really need this type of confidence before I go to Europe. The condition will be tough for me as I don’t like cold weather. I will have to wear thick clothes and acclimatize with the weather as quickly as possible. I want to have better results this time,” said Chanettee who won Bt367,500 prize money for her second win on the Thai WPGA Tour after winning the second circuit last November on this same course. For Samaporn, she may settle for second but still this is by far the best result in her career. She finally regains her confidence after having to endure recent dismal form.
“I really feel good with my game again for the first time in a while. To be honest, I was under high pressure during the play-off as I had never been this close to victory before. But I’m so proud with the way I gave it a fight out there,” said the 23-year-old from Leoi who earned her biggest prize money of Bt223,440 as the runner-up.
“I have been in a tough situation, so this good result just came at the right time. I just wish I won the first prize,” said Samaporn in a light-hearted manner.
Samaporn also reveals that she is a cat lover and talks to cats more than to people. When asked for her reason, she said: “Cats may give you some scratches but they never stab your back.”
Two-time runner-up Arpichaya Yubol had to be content with a lone third finish following her two-day total of eight under-par-136.
Chanettee and Arpichaya, as the current No 1 and 2 on the Thailand TrustGolf Tour Order of Merits, have earned their tickets into the Scottish Women’s Scottish Open between July 28-31. But both will have two warm-up TrustGolf Tour series in in the UK ahead of their trip to Scotland.
Organiser Fresh Air Festival denied selling “all-access” tickets for the Manchester United-Liverpool match in Bangkok to celebrity online vendor Pimrypie on Friday.
The company issued the Facebook clarification after Pimrypie claimed she had sold a large number of tickets that could grant holders entry to team training sessions and a concert rehearsal for the July 12 match.
Fresh Air Festival previously denied the tickets would grant holders access to the concert rehearsal or a private banquet with K-pop star Jackson Wang and the players.
CEO Vinij Lertratanachai later said that his company sold Pimrypie regularly priced tickets that granted no extra benefits.
He said she was free to decide what to do with the tickets, explaining that they were originally allocated to both teams to sell to foreign fans, but were returned and issued through Thaiticketmajor.
Vinij confirmed that tickets for the players’ training session and concert rehearsal existed, but said they were not for public sale. These tickets had been given to sponsors or people who bought match tickets in bulk, he said.
However, no tickets existed for the private banquet for Wang and the players, as only sponsors were invited. He said he did not know why Pimrypie had advertised tickets to the banquet.
Meanwhile, netizens asked why the celebrity vendor was able to buy such a large number of tickets when members of the public were limited to four tickets per person.
He explained this rule was put in place to ensure widespread distribution of tickets.
However, Pimrypie bought tickets in the quota originally allocated for foreign fans, so the rule did not apply.
The organiser of the Manchester United – Liverpool exhibition match on Friday denied claims of tickets being sold that offer access to the concert rehearsal or a private dinner with the footballers and K-Pop star Jackson Wang.
Social media influencer Pimrypie, who was selling a large number of tickets priced at 15,000 baht and 20,000 baht each for “The Match Bangkok Century Cup 2022” on July 12 at a discounted price, worth 350 million baht in total had reportedly made the claims.
She reportedly claimed that those who bought tickets from her might be able to watch the players’ training and the concert rehearsal. She also claimed that buyers might get a chance to have a private dinner with Wang and the footballers.
Event organiser Fresh Air Festival on Friday released a statement denying access to the concert rehearsal or a private dinner reception.
CEO Vinij Lertratanachai explained that the tickets given to Pimrypie had previously been given to both teams to sell to foreign fans. However, the unsold tickets were sent back to the company.
He confirmed that they were not tickets from the Thaiticketmajor system and were sold to her at the usual price.
The rumour has led to criticism from previous buyers and Ahgases (GOT7 fans).
Buyers of the tickets were furious that they had paid the full price but did not receive these benefits.
Pimrypie’s Facebook Live on Wednesday got more than 60,000 viewers and she said that it was more than the number of people who are coming to watch Wang in Rajamangala Stadium, which infuriated GOT7 fans.
Many netizens asked the organisers to sue her for misleading spectators while some of them wanted the organiser to be responsible for the damage to Wang and the footballers or even cancel the pre-match concert.
Red-hot Chanettee Wannasaen and Samaporn Phangkhun shared the clubhouse lead at nine-under in the rain delayed Bt 2.5 million SAT-TWT Open Road to World Ranking at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club in Pattaya on Thursday.
Persistent rain forced the second round to start four hours behind schedule with more than 30 players having to finish their actions on Friday’s morning.
Chanettee , winner of the second circuit here at the Phoenix Gold last year, recovered from two bogeys on the front nine (she started at the back) to shoot a 68 and a total nine-under-par-135.
“I didn’t play as well as I did in the first round. I should have sunken more putts. But nine under-par is not a bad score in two days,” said Channettee who beat Arpichaya Yubol by two strokes at this course where she celebrated her maiden victory (the 2nd Thai WPGA event) last November.
The teenage star will vie for her seventh crown this year, having won three straight Thailand Mixed events, two from another local tour and the Honda LPGA National Qualifiers.
“I’m quite confident with my game but I won’t let the pressure get the better out of me. I will give my best out there and feel happy no matter what happens,” added the rising star from Chiang Mai.
Samaporn , 23 from Leoi, shot seven birdies against two bogeys on the third and 16th holes for a second round 67 and a total 135.
“My approach shots were good as I hit close to the pins which gave me several birdie opportunities. The rain delay didn’t affect me at all as I tried to warm myself up all the time to get ready,” she said.
Samaporn has been chasing for her first professional victory after producing her best finish at sixth on another women’s local tour at Kabinburi Sports Club in Pachinburi last year. She admitted that she has been currently in a very tough situation and a win on Friday will help turn things around.
“I’m a bit motivated to have a strong finish in the final. Life has been tough these days, so I need some great result for a change,” added Samaporn who has no fear of the stardoms like Chanettee and Arpichaya, two of the strong contenders for the trophy.
“They are both younger than me. I will focus on my game and see them as ordinary people,” she added.
Arpichaya from Saraburi, with four birdies at the back and two more after the turn, fired an unblemished 66 which propelled her to third following a total eight under-par-136.
“I was playing unbelievably by hitting to the right spots to create myself many chances. I just hope that I could have made four more birdie putts,” said the 20-year-old who finished runner-up twice in the last Thai WPGA events.
She will try to make amends for her defeat to Channettee in the previous Thai WPGA event last November at the Phoenix Gold.
“We’ve played together several times. When you are in the same group with a good player, you need to focus on yourself. I hope it will be my day in the final,” said Arpichaya, looking for her first win since her last triumph on another local women’s tour in Prachinburi last year.
After the second round is completed, top 60 and ties will move into the third and final round due after 9am on Friday.
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