Thai Windsurfer Ittipol Finishes Fourth at 2026 Youth Olympics
Thai windsurfer Ittipol Yamjinda, 14, finished fourth at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, missing the bronze medal by just five points in the boys' Techno 293 U17 division. Fellow Thai athlete Praphawit Butto, also 14, placed ninth in the girls' division. Officials said both athletes exceeded expectations despite their youth and will target the 2025 SEA Games in Malaysia.
The Thai national windsurfing team completed their competition at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, after 14 races on November 12, 2026. In the boys' Techno 293 U17 division, 14-year-old Ittipol Yamjinda, nicknamed "Biw," narrowly missed a bronze medal, finishing fourth with 53 net points. After 13 races, he trailed Tunisia's Rayen Brikri by just one point, setting up a decisive final race. Ultimately, Brikri secured bronze with 48 points, while Greece's Evangelos Kyriazakos won gold with 12 points and Hong Kong's Hoi Tik Ung took silver with 28 points.
In the girls' Techno 293 U17 division, 14-year-old Praphawit Butto, nicknamed "Venus," finished ninth with 93 net points. Italy's Laura Gasparri Casagrande claimed gold with 24 points.
Thai Windsurfing Association Secretary-General Phatthana Bunsawat acknowledged the disappointment of missing bronze by such a slim margin but noted the athletes exceeded expectations given their younger age and relative inexperience compared to competitors. Both athletes placed in the top five and top ten respectively, and will now prepare for the 34th SEA Games in Malaysia next year, where the host has confirmed the same U17 age category will be contested.
