TOKYO: Thai boxer Sudaporn Seesondee will be out for revenge when she takes on Ireland's Kellie Harrington in the women's 60kg semi-finals at the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday.
It will be the day's first bout at the Kokugikan Arena and is scheduled to start at noon, Bangkok time.
Sudaporn, 29, lost 3-2 to the 31-year-old Dubliner in the 2018 world championships final.
At stake is a place in the final as the winner will be assured of at least a silver and vie for gold, while the loser will return home with a bronze.
To beat the opponent, the Thai probably needs her best form as Harrington is the top seed and considered favourite to win gold.
Sudaporn appears to be Thailand's only hope to join taekwondo champion Panipak Wongpattanakit as the country's gold medallists at Tokyo 2020.
Golfers Patty Tavatanakit and Ariya Jutanugarn have a mountain to climb to claim gold in the women's competition.
While Patty, whose Thai name is Paphangkorn, was five shots off the pace after Wednesday's opening round, Ariya was tied for 58th in the 60-player field.
But Sudaporn is cautious about her chances of claiming gold.
"I don't know if I will be able to go the distance and win the gold. At this point, I will take it one fight at a time," Sudaporn said after her quarter-final victory on Tuesday.
With that win, the Udon Thani native has become the country's only second medallist at Tokyo and first ever female boxer to claim an Olympic medal.
Thailand coach Kamanit Nareesak said Sudaporn has watched tapes of Harrington's fights several times and sparred with teammates Jutamas Jitpong and Baison Manikon.
Kamanit described Harrington as an intelligent boxer.
"She has a high IQ and moves fast," the coach said. "Sudaporn would have to change her rhythm to counter her style."
Already a millionaire with an Olympic bronze medallist, Sudaporn will get much richer if she advances to the final and ultimately secures gold.
Under the National Sports Development's bonus scheme, an Olympic champion will receive 12 million baht, a silver winner 7.2 million baht and a bronze medallist 4.8 million baht.
Bangchak and its allies will give cash to a medal winning Thai boxer -- 10 million baht for gold, three million baht for silver and two million baht for bronze.
Also the National Olympic Committee of Thailand gives an Olympic medal winner a monthly salary for 20 years with a gold medallist receiving 12,000 baht, a silver medallist 10,000 baht and a bronze medallist 8,000 baht.
Silver loses its glitter
Cuba's Arlen Lopez won his second Olympic gold medal yesterday as he taught Ben Whittaker a boxing lesson in Tokyo -- the disconsolate Briton refusing to wear his silver medal and putting it instead in his pocket.
The 28-year-old Lopez was the aggressor throughout but he was surprisingly only a split-points winner in the final of the men's light-heavyweight.
Lopez, who won middleweight gold at the Rio 2016 Olympics, fell to his knees and banged on the floor when he was named the victor, while Whittaker quickly left the ring with his hands over his face.
After receiving his gold medal, Lopez put his fingers to his lips, a gesture he said was towards "those who were against me or thought that I would not be able to make it or lacked motivation".
His delight was in stark contrast to the 24-year-old Whittaker, who cut a devastated figure at the medal ceremony, trudging to the podium with his hands in his pockets and placing his medal in his tracksuit pocket rather than around his neck.