Thailand Eyes 15 Gold Medals at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games
Thailand has won 8 gold medals midway through the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya and remains on track to exceed its 15-medal target, with standout performances in athletics, takraw, and emerging disciplines like equestrian and mixed martial art
The Sports Authority of Thailand is confident the national team will reach its target of at least 15 gold medals at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026. At the midway point, Thailand has already won 8 gold medals—three from takraw, two from athletics, one from equestrian, one from sepak takraw, and one from mixed martial arts. Thailand Sports Authority director Khongsak Yodmanee said on September 27, 2026, that the team's midway performance is highly satisfactory, with medals coming across multiple disciplines and numerous records being broken. Swimming, though without medals yet, has broken nearly 20 Thai national and personal records, showing strong development and future medal potential. Standout athlete "Boom" Puripol Bunyasorn captured the 100-meter sprint gold in under 10 seconds while breaking Asian Games records in both the 100-meter and 200-meter events. Multiple sports have shown surprising medal success—including equestrian and mixed martial arts making history with medals after years, and athlete Josua Robert Atkinsons's gold in the 400 meters in athletics. Medals are now spreading across more sports than anticipated. In the remaining events, athletics, sepak takraw, taekwondo, sailing, badminton, golf, boxing, and jiu-jitsu remain strong medal prospects, keeping Thailand on track for its 15-gold target. Khongsak credited the improvement to the full integration of sports science, ensuring athletes are in peak condition—a approach that has gained acceptance across sports federations and proven its effectiveness.
