Thai Table Tennis Star Norton Upsets World-Ranked Chinese Player
Thai teenager Norton Thitipat Preecharyan pulled off a stunning upset at the Asian Games in Japan on September 22, defeating world-ranked eighth Lin Shudong of China 3-2 in table tennis despite being ranked nearly 200 positions lower.
Norton Thitipat Preecharyan, a 16-year-old emerging table tennis talent, became a standout performer at the 20th Asian Games in Japan after competing in the men's team semifinals on September 22. He pulled off a dramatic upset victory against Lin Shudong, the world's eighth-ranked player and a member of China's 2026 world championship squad, winning 3-2 with game scores of 4-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7. His victory marked Thailand's only point against China before the team fell 1-3 overall.
Natthavut Ruengves, president of the Thai Table Tennis Association, revealed that going into the match, Norton was considered a heavy underdog due to a nearly 200-position gap in world rankings. However, Norton's bold and fearless playing style proved he can compete with world-class athletes, producing his best performance in a surprising result. Ruengves expressed confidence that Norton will gain significant experience and could join Thailand's senior team within 2-3 years without waiting until he reaches age 20, drawing parallels to opponent Lin Shudong, who reached world number one while still young.
Ruengves also noted that in the men's singles competition, Norton will face Muhammad Khan from Pakistan in the next round. Should he win, he would face Wang Chuqin, the world number one from China and defending Asian Games champion, which would be a formidable challenge but valuable experience for Thailand's promising young player.
