Thai Para-Athletes Aim for World Records, Six Golds in 2026
Thailand’s wheelchair racing stars Pongsakon Payoy and Athiwat Phaengneung are aiming to break world records and lead the nation to up to six gold medals at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan. The team of 265 athletes will travel on chartered flights and stay in hotels near the venues, with strong medal hopes also in table tennis, fencing, shooting and weightlifting.
Pongsakon Payoy and Athiwat Phaengneung lead Thailand’s wheelchair racing team in a bid to break world records and win gold at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan. The Paralympic Sports Association of Thailand said wheelchair racing is its top priority for the fifth Asian Para Games, with Association President Mittree Kongrueng stating the team could secure as many as six gold medals. He noted that table tennis, fencing, shooting and weightlifting also have good medal chances.
The Thai para‑athlete contingent for the “Aichi‑Nagoya 2026” Games, running from October 18‑24, 2026, will comprise 265 athletes and 147 officials, a total of 412 members, competing in all 18 sports. The Sports Authority of Thailand, the Thai Paralympic Committee and four disability sports associations are organizing the trip, providing two chartered Thai Airways flights departing on October 11, 2026 at 09:00 and 09:30.
Athletes will stay in hotels near the competition and training venues, which should avoid the accommodation problems experienced at previous events. The association’s goal is to maximize gold medals, focusing on record‑based events led by wheelchair racing, while also aiming for four golds each in table tennis and fencing, plus medals in shooting and weightlifting. Emerging talent is expected to make its mark at the Asian level.
The fifth Asian Para Games in Nagoya will feature 18 sports, including archery, athletics (wheelchair racing), badminton, boccia, cycling, football, goalball, judo, weightlifting, shooting, sitting volleyball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis, with 492 gold medals up for grabs.
