Vorapoy Petchkoom

Worapoj Petchkoom ( Thai วร พจน์ เพชร ขุ้ ม ; born May 18, 1981 in Amphoe Phanom , Surat Thani ) is a Thai boxer . Worapoj was a bronze medalist at the 2006 Asian Games , silver medalist at the 2004 Olympic Games , 2010 Asian Games winner, and five-time Southeast Asian Games winner between 1999 and 2011 .

Career

In 1999 Worapoj took part in the Southeast Asian Games for the first time and was able to win this flyweight (-51 kg) straight away. After a break of several years, he returned to the international scene at the Southeast Asian Games in 2003 and won these championships , this time in the bantamweight (-54 kg). In 2004 Worapoj won the second Asian Olympic qualification tournament in Karachi and was thus able to take part in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens . Due to his rare participation in international championships, Worapoj went to the Olympic Games as an outsider and therefore surprisingly achieved silver medal winner with victories over the winner of the Asian Games 2002 Won Il Kim, South Korea (RSC 3rd), Khavazi Khatsygov, Belarus (33:18) of the 2003 African Games Nestor Bolum, Nigeria (29:14), and the reigning world champion Aghasi Məmmədov , Azerbaijan (27:19), the final. In this he faced the Cuban defending champion Guillermo Rigondeaux , whom he had to admit defeated with 22:13 points and thus won the Olympic silver medal.

In 2005 Worapoj won the Southeast Asian Games again , retired from the Pretoria Military World Championships , but already in the first fight against Rustam Rachimow , Germany (19:15). At the Asian Games in the following year Worapoj reached the semi-finals which he just lost against the later gold medalist Joan Tipon, Philippines (+13: 13). The year 2007 was less successful for Worapoj: both at the Asian Championships and the World Championships , he was eliminated early. The only success of the year was another success at the Southeast Asian Games . In 2008 Worapoj qualified again for the Olympic Games , but this time after defeating Vittorio Parrinello , Italy (12: 1), he was eliminated in the quarter-finals against the later silver medalist Yankiel León , Cuba (16: 5).

Worapoj won his last big title in 2010: With a final victory over Zhang Jiawei, China (8: 3), he won the Asian Games. The following year he won the Southeast Asian Games for the fifth time , but also had to book an unsuccessful participation in the World Championships . In 2012 Worapoj took part in the Asian Olympic qualification tournament in Astana , but was eliminated in the quarterfinals against Shiva Thapa , India (16:10).

Others

In 2009, Worapoj was banned from the Thai Association for three months due to the publication of photos in a gay magazine. He missed the 2009 Southeast Asian Games .

swell

• Report on Worapoj's ban in 2009

Note on Thai names : This article addresses people by their first name.