CHUMPHON: Crowds of well-wishers turned out to stage a joyous homecoming on Saturday for Olympic gold medal weightlifter Sopita "Nong Naen" Tanasan.
The 21-year-old champion in the women's 48kg competition received a special award as Chumphon's outstanding young woman of the year, while her mother was named the province's outstanding mother.
The awards fom the local office of the Social Development and Human Security Minustry were a highlight of a ceremony held in front of the Muang District municipal hall.
Wallapa Kaewsawee, acting chief of the office, praised Sopita for bringing fame to the province and the country.
Weightlifters were the stars of the Rio Games for Thailand, with Sopita and Sukanya Srisurat winning gold and Sinphet Kruaithong bronze. Silver medallist Pimsiri Sirikaew, who also won silver in 2012 in London, was also feted on Saturday in her home province of Khon Kaen.
In Chumphon, businesses and organisations showered Sopita with gifts with a combined value of 8.1 million baht. They included insurance policies worth 7 million baht, 110,000 baht in cash, electrical appliances and other items. After a parade around downtown Chumphon, Sopita returned to her home town in Sawi district to attend another welcome ceremony at night.
Chumphon governor Somdee Khachayangyuen said that in his capacity as chairman of the province’s education committee, he had asked all schools to put up posters of Sopita. The Olympic champion would be an inspiration and role model for young people in the province, he said.
Sopita and her mother are presented with awards for being an outstanding young woman and outstanding mother, with a poster featuring the Olympic gold medallist's image in the background. (Photo by Amnart Thongdee)
