Wiradech Kothny

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Wiradech Kothny

Wiradech "Willi" Kothny ( Thai : วีระ เดช โค๊ ธ นี , born May 10, 1979 in Kanchanaburi , Thailand ) is a former Thai-German fencer who won two bronze medals for Germany at the 2000 Olympic Games .

Private

Wiradech Kothny was born in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. After his mother married the German Bundeswehr major and later SWR journalist Erik Kothny in 1982 , Kothny was adopted by him. This gave him German citizenship. After the adoption, Wiradech grew up in Oeffingen and Koblenz , where he started fencing at the Coblenzer Turngesellschaft (CTG).

Wiradech has been studying communication studies at Bangkok University International College since 2002 . In the same year he married and took Thai citizenship. In 2005 he became a father for the first time.

Career

Kothny became European fencing champion in 1999 , having already won the title of junior world champion. He achieved his greatest success at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney , where he won a bronze medal for Germany with the saber both in the individual competition and with the team.

At the Olympic award ceremony, he pulled substitute Eero Lehmann onto the podium and gave him his bronze medal in the team competition. For this he was awarded the “Fair Play Prize” by the ARD , and later he received the “Silver Laurel Leaf” from the Federal President.

After moving to the Thai Association, he won the title of Asian Champion and finished 13th and 25th at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. After the Games in Beijing, Kothny ended his fencing career in 2008.

engagement

Two days after the tsunami disaster on December 26, 2004 , Kothny flew to Phuket to help tourists and rescue the dead. Later, as a representative of the German Embassy, ​​he supported the ISAR rescue team from Duisburg in their search for victims.

Kothny then initiated an aid project in Thailand. For this purpose, the association “Willi hilft e. V. “, which collects donations to finance the construction work in Ban Bang Sak , Khao Lak , southern Thailand. The construction of the completely destroyed fishing village began a week after the flood, and resistance from Thai authorities had to be overcome. Only three months later, 30 turnkey houses were handed over to the residents of Ban Bang Sak, and 20 more were added later. Around 100 citizens from 15 nations joined the “Willi helps” project. 500,000 euros in donations formed the financial basis of a project that quickly became a showpiece for the German Embassy. When there wasn't enough money in the end, he added 10,000 euros in medal prize money from the Asian Games.

At the same time, Kothny campaigned for the concerns of underprivileged sea gypsies by successfully protesting against the construction of a hospital funded by the German government. For the prestige object, sea gypsies were to be driven from their traditional residential area. A delegation from the German embassy had the building site for the hospital relocated.

For his commitment, the fencer was voted “Sportsman of the Year” by Thai journalists and invited by SWR to the program “People of the Year”.

Later, Kothny organized the future of the village: The residents of Ban Bang Sak should receive a livelihood through boat building, a resort, building materials company and handicrafts. Children with learning difficulties are encouraged in a school. Willi was honored by the “Philippas Engel” foundation for his social commitment. In Koblenz he signed the “Golden Book of the City”, received the “Tsunami Medal” from the Prime Minister of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate Kurt Beck “in recognition of his services to disaster relief”, and received the “Good Samaritan” award from the Thai Foreign Minister " honored.

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personal data
SURNAME Kothny, Wiradech
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Kothny, Willi
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Thai-German fencer
DATE OF BIRTH May 10, 1979
PLACE OF BIRTH Kanchanaburi , Thailand