Pattaya: Two-time Olympian Keerati Bualong put on a stellar performance to snatch gold at the recently concluded 2023 ILCA 7 Masters World Championship held at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club.
The Thai turned 30 in December, making him eligible just in time to enter the regatta limited to those 30 years of age and older for the first time.
Sailing in the Apprentice division for those aged 30-44, Keerati managed to finish first in all but one of 11 races he sailed.
After representing Thailand at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics, he had turned to coaching with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand.
"I'm glad to be back racing again after two years," he said. "It's nice to be back competing. It's more fun now."
The UAE's Adil Khalid won silver in the Apprentice fleet, a step up from last year's event in Mexico. Italy's Pietro Corbucci took bronze.
Bougiouris impresses in Pattaya
In the Master division for those aged 45-54, Greece's Adonis Bougiouris matched Keerati's record, with first-place finishes in all but one race.
Christoph Bottini of Australia and Peter Hurley of the USA took silver and bronze respectively.
In the Grand Master division for those aged 55-64, the undisputed champion was Australia's Brett Beyer.
Jan Scholten of Australia and Andrew Holdsworth of the USA came in second and third overall in the 35-man event, the largest division at the world championship.
In the Great Grand Master division for those aged 65 and older, defending champion Tim Law of the UK confirmed his mastery in the ILCA dinghy, confidently securing gold.
Australians Stephen Gunther and Jeff Loosemore, both of whom had also raced a week earlier in the smaller ILCA 6 rig, won silver and bronze.