Athiwat Paeng-Nuea

Started: He got into sports as a teenager in Thailand. (siamsport.co.th, 18 Jun 2024) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (siamsport.co.th, 13 Jul 2023) Milestones: He was the youngest Thai athlete from any sport to compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, where he was age 18 years and 313 days when he finished second in the men's T54 400m. Several days later he won gold in the men's T54 100m, making him Thailand's youngest gold medallist and youngest multi-medallist at the 2020 Games. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2024) His gold medal in the men's T54 100m event at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo at age 18 years and 316 days made him the second-youngest Thai Paralympic champion in any sport at the Paralympic Games. The youngest was Sopa Intasen, who was 18 years and 218 days when he won gold at the 2000 Games in Sydney. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2024) Awards: He and wheelchair fencer Saysunee Jana were Thailand's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (medias.paris2024.org, 28 Aug 2024) He was Thailand's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2022 ASEAN Para Games in Surakarta, Indonesia. (komchadluek.net, 29 Jul 2022) Additional Info: PARIS TO BE TOUGHER THAN TOKYO He expects the competition to be harder at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris compared to the 2020 Games in Tokyo. "For this competition [Paris 2024], I am trying to train more than the last time because it is likely to be a harder and more difficult task [to win medals]. From participating in international competitions in recent years, I have seen athletes from many countries, and I have to admit that there are many people to watch out for. The most dangerous ones that I have to face in the Paralympics are the Chinese and Finnish athletes. For example, the Finnish athletes, I competed with them at the 2020 Games in Tokyo and they are top-notch athletes who cannot be underestimated. As for the Chinese athletes, they have developed themselves to be very strong, so we cannot ignore them either." (siamsport.co.th, 18 Jun 2024)