Thai Youth Team Targets Medals at Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics

Key summary

The Thai youth national team is preparing to compete in the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games, held in Dakar, Senegal, from October 31 to November 13, 2026. Thailand has secured a quota of 28 athletes across 11 sports, including table tennis, boxing, judo, and beach handball. Notable competitors include table tennis player Norton Thitapat Preechayanon, who defeated former world number one Lin Si Dong at the Asian Games in Japan earlier this year, and boxer Siva Chaiyarnong. The Thai Table Tennis Association has selected two athletes for singles events: Norton, a 2025 World Youth Champion, and Kulpassorn Wichitwiriyaikul, a runner-up in the U-17 category at the same event. Both will also compete in mixed doubles. Boxing representatives include Siva Chaiyarnong (men's under 60kg) and Pemika Pyungkhem (women's under 48kg), while judoka Kanisorn Shinon competes in the men's 90-100kg category. The Thai Table Tennis Association aims to use these young athletes, currently aged 16, as future replacements for senior players. Broadcast coverage of the games will be available on T SPORTS 7.