The 50-year-old wheelchair fencer won her third gold of the Games by defeating Kang Su of China on Friday (Sept 6). She fell behind early but rebounded to become the first female wheelchair fencer to win three golds in all three disciplines - sabre, foil and epee - in Paralympics history.
Her latest gold was her fifth since she started participating at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens. Over the past 20 years, she has competed in six Paralympics tournaments, reports the Bangkok Post.
“I’m very happy and proud of myself. I didn’t think I could do it,” said Saysunee. “I can’t describe my happiness today in words. Before the tournament, I expected to win only one gold in epee.”
She also thanked the Sports Authority of Thailand, the National Sports Development Fund, the Sports Association for the Disabled of Thailand and the Paralympic Committee of Thailand, as well as her family, for their support.
Her recent success made her the second Paralympic wheelchair fencer to win three golds in individual fencing after Roberto Marson in 1968.
Chaiwat, Rungroj and Visit add three silvers to Kingdom’s haul
Meanwhile, wheelchair racer Chaiwat Rattana claimed a silver medal in the men’s 800 metres T34 event on the penultimate day of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games yesterday (Sept 7).
The 28-year-old, who won gold in the 100m race on Monday, clocked 1:39.48 to earn his second medal of the Paris Games.
It was the seventh medal from the Thai para athletics team in Paris. The team have produced two gold and five silver medals.
Canada’s Austin Smeenk won the gold medal in 1:39.27 while Australia’s Rheed McCracken took bronze in 1:40.13.
On Friday, para table tennis player Rungroj Thainiyom had to settle for another silver medal.
Rungroj, 37, lost to Italy’s Matteo Parenzan 0-3 (6-11, 6-11, 5-11) in the men’s singles MS6 gold medal match.
Rungroj won the men’s doubles MD14 silver with Phisit wangphonpathanasiri last Sunday.
Also on Friday, Visit Kingmanaw claimed the fourth medal from wheelchair fencing for Thailand and the first one from the men’s competition.
The 35-year-old earned silver after losing to Britain’s Dimitri Coutya 10-15 in the gold medal bout of the men’s epee category B event.
Visit won bronze in the event at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games last year.
In yesterday’s action, Thailand beat South Korea 45-42 in the women’s epee team quarter-finals.
They were to face Ukraine in the semi-finals later last night.
In other action on Friday, Hunter Woodhall, the US double amputee sprinter who is one half of a Paralympic-Olympic power couple, produced an inspired run to win gold in the T62 400m.
Woodhall, who is married to Olympic women’s long jump champion Tara Davis-Woodhall, timed 46.36sec to beat world record holder Johannes Floors of Germany, who clocked 46.90sec. Dutchman Olivier Hendriks was third.
After crossing the line, 25-year-old Woodhall ran into the arms of his wife who was trackside, just as she had done to him when she won the Olympic long jump title in the same stadium on Aug 8.
It was the first Paralympic title of Woodhall’s career. He won a bronze medal in this event at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago.
“My first gold in a major championship and I couldn’t pick a better one,” Woodhall told reporters, with his beaming wife standing by his side.
“Tara has taught me a lot,” he said. “Before the Olympics she was writing in her journal ‘I will be the Olympic champ, I am strong, I am fast’. I brought my journal with me and the past few days I’ve been writing in there ‘I will be Paralympic champion’ and that’s come true!”
No.19 for Britain’s Storey
Britain Sarah Storey continued her all-conquering Paralympics record by claiming her 19th gold medal by winning the C4-5 road race on Friday.
Storey edged French teenager Heidi Gaugain on the line after 71km of racing in the eastern Parisian suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois as Colombia’s Paula Ossa Veloza claimed bronze.
The 46-year-old, who was born without a functioning left hand, has now won 30 Paralympics medals since she made her debut at the 1992 Barcelona Games in the sport of swimming aged 14.
“It’s amazing, really amazing it’s not sunk in at all. I’m delighted my wheel was at the front at the finish,” Storey told reporters.
“It was just a matter of holding her as she continued her acceleration, it was a long way out.”
As of this morning, Thailand ranked 20th in the overall medal table with six gold medals, 11 silver and 13 bronze.