Asian Beach Games Reach Halfway Point; Dr. Kong Sak Confident Athletes Will Meet 15 Gold Medal Target
Thailand's athletes are halfway through the Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China, with gold medals in beach sprinting and rowing, though officials acknowledge stronger Asian competition as they pursue a 15 gold medal target by month's end.
The Asian Beach Games are halfway through, with Thailand's athletes showing mixed results. While some events have delivered impressive performances worth celebrating, others face tough competition as multiple nations continue to strengthen their positions. SAT Director Dr. Kong Sak Yodmani remains confident that Thai athletes will accelerate their efforts and achieve the 15 gold medal goal in the remaining competition.
Dr. Kong Sak Yodmani, Director of the Sports Authority of Thailand, revealed details about the Thai national team's performance at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China. He commended Thailand's partial achievements, citing gold medals in beach track and field events including Phuripol Bunsorn in the men's 60-meter sprint, Jiraphatch Khananoptata in the women's 60-meter sprint, and the women's 4x60-meter relay. Thai rowers also impressively defeated the host Chinese team in the men's 200-meter 10-oar boat event, while securing multiple silver and bronze medals.
"We must congratulate our athletes for successfully winning medals, especially in track and field events that are highlights of the competition in sprinting and relay races," Dr. Kong Sak said. "However, we believe many other sports will perform well in the second half of the games. We need to encourage our athletes until the final day of competition."
The SAT director acknowledged that while the 15 gold medal target remains, it's regrettable that some sports fell short. He recognized that athletes from many Asian nations have developed significantly and become much stronger. The Asian Beach Games is no longer an easy competition, and the outcome won't be clear until the final day, as several sports still offer medal opportunities, including Takraw, where Thailand has world-champion level athletes.
"Thai athletes participating in this Asian Beach Games will gain invaluable experience, and the budget invested by the SAT in training preparations is worthwhile. Beyond elevating athletes' standards to compete at the Asian level, they witness firsthand the skills of their competitors—a tremendous benefit as they aim toward the Asian Games and Olympics," the SAT director said.
The 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya runs from April 22-30, 2025, featuring 14 sports: beach track and field, aquatic sports (marathon swimming and water polo), 3x3 basketball, beach handball, beach soccer, beach volleyball, dragon boat racing, sport climbing, beach wrestling, judo, kabaddi, sailing (windsurfing and kiteboarding), triathlon (aquathlon combining swimming and running), and takraw. Fans can support Thai athletes through live broadcasts on T Sports 7.
