Thai Sprinter Puripol Boonson Wins First Asian Games MVP
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) presented the 2026 Asian Games Most Valuable Player award to Thai sprint star Puripol “Biew” Boonson on 4 October at the media centre in Nagoya. Puripol received the award for his outstanding performances on the track, winning two gold medals in the men’s 100 metres and 200 metres while […]
The Olympic Council of Asia presented the 2026 Asian Games Most Valuable Player award to Thai sprint star Puripol "Biew" Boonson on 4 October at Nagoya's media centre. Puripol won the award after claiming gold in the men's 100‑metre and 200‑metre races, setting Asian Games records in both events, and taking silver in the mixed 4x100‑metre relay.
The women's MVP award was given to 13‑year‑old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi. Each MVP received a trophy and US$25,000 in prize money, equivalent to about 840,000 baht.
Puripol said the award is an honour for him, his family and Thailand, adding that Asian sprinters have shown they are second to none worldwide and he will carry the Thai flag to the world stage. He expressed happiness at returning to Nagoya as the Games' outstanding athlete, thanked the organisers, the Athletics Association president, his family, coaches and fans, and vowed to keep training hard to raise Asian athletics' profile and bring recognition to Thailand.
He noted that he is the first Thai athlete to win the honour and only the second track and field athlete to do so after Japan's Koji Ito, who won it at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok.
