On August 7, 2024, Thailand’s Panipak Wongpattanakit successfully defended her women’s taekwondo -49kg Olympic title at the Paris Games. Wongpattanakit secured the gold medal with a 2-1 victory over Guo Qing from the People’s Republic of China, who earned silver in her Olympic debut.
Wongpattanakit’s win marks Thailand’s first gold medal at Paris 2024.
In the bronze medal matches, Mobina Nematzadeh from the Islamic Republic of Iran defeated Saudi Arabia’s Dunya Ali M Abutaleb with a score of 2-0. In another bronze match, Croatia’s Lena Stojkovic won against Turkey’s Merve Dincel Kavurat, also with a score of 2-0.
Guo Qing initially led the match but was ultimately overcome by Wongpattanakit, who delivered impressive head kicks in her comeback.
Wongpattanakit, the 27-year-old reigning champion, announced her retirement following the Paris Games. She cited injuries as the reason for her departure, including a “broken PCL [posterior cruciate ligament]” in her knee. She added, “My ankle, my hip … now I have to retire.”
Looking ahead, Wongpattanakit plans to focus on her gym in Thailand, named Panipak Taekwondo. She invited others to join her there, saying, “If you want to learn with me, come to Thailand.”
Both bronze medalists are eager for future competitions. Stojkovic expressed her commitment to improving, stating, “I have to work step by step and hopefully get better and better results.” Nematzadeh is already setting her sights on Los Angeles 2028, saying, “We’re ready for Los Angeles [2028] to get gold.”
