Paris: Badminton star Kunlavut Vitidsarn will face No.1 seed Shi Yuqi in the men's singles quarter-finals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Thai eighth seed came from behind to defeat Kenta Nishimoto of Japan 16-21, 21-14, 21-12 in the round of 16 yesterday at Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris.
China's Shi received a bye in the round of 16.
Fellow Thai Ratchanok Intanon also reached the last eight of the women's singles event on Wednesday after she defeated long-time rival Tai Tzu-ying in her final group match.
Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng, left, in action against Congo's Brigitte Mbabi during the women's 66kg round of 16 bout. (Photo: Reuters)
Ratchanok upset Tokyo silver medallist Tai, the third seed, 21-19, 21-15 to finish as Group E winner and go straight into the last eight.
The two players embraced at the end of the match.
"I'm very emotional. Our styles are similar, it's like playing myself in the mirror. I told her I'm glad we came into the Olympics together and I wished her the best," said Ratchanok, who lost to the Taiwanese in the quarter-finals at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
Ratchanok, who has received a bye in the round of 16, will meet the winner of the match between South Korea's Kim Ga-Eun and Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska Tunjung.
Mixed doubles stars Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai ended their Paris campaign at the quarter-final stage.
The Thai pair lost to Japan's Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino 21-23, 14-21.
Dechapol and Sapsiree threw away a nine-point lead in the first game as Watanabe and Higashino, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medallists, dragged themselves back into the game to take the lead.
In the second game, the Japanese kept the momentum and built up a 12-point lead, but the Thais fought hard to stay in the match, forcing the fourth seeded duo to sweat for seven match points before finally getting the win.
Watanabe and Higashino will face the top-seeded Chinese pairing of Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong in the semi-final.
Wins for Chutamat, Janjaem
It was a good day in the ring for Thailand yesterday as Chutamat Raksat and Janjaem Suwannapheng won their round of 16 bouts.
Chutamat easily beat Sabina Bobokulova of Uzbekistan 5-0 in the women's 50kg to progress to the quarter-finals before Janjaem joined her in the last eight with a 4-1 win over Brigitte Mbabi in the women's 66kg bout.
On Wednesday, Baison Manikon became the fifth Thai fighter to exit the tournament after she lost to France's Davina Michel 5-0 in the women's 75kg round of 16 bout.
Baison was a bronze medallist at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.
In shooting, Thongphaphum Vongsukdee finished 39th in the men's 50m rifle three positions qualification round.
First athletics gold
Ecuador's Brian Pintado won the first athletics Olympic gold medal of the Paris Games yesterday with victory in the men's 20km walk.
Brazil's Caio Bonfim improved on his fourth from Rio in 2016 taking silver with Spain's world champion Alvaro Martin taking the bronze.
It was Ecuador's second Olympic title in the event after Jefferson Perez's gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Pintado appeared to be clutching a family photograph as as he crossed the line before being connected to loved one via a live link.
The race was delayed half an hour due to a thunderstorm.
China's Yang Jiayu then produced a dominant performance to win the women's walk.
The 28-year-old world record holder came home clear of Spain's Maria Perez with Jemima Montag of Australia taking the bronze.
Yang is the fourth Chinese woman to win the Olympic title in the seven times it has featured at the Games.
In rowing, New Zealand won gold in the women's double sculls at the Vaires-sur-Marnes Nautical Stadium yesterday.
The Romania crew secured the silver medal, while Britain took bronze.
Romania won the men's double sculls event. The Netherlands crew finished second to take the silver medal, with Ireland coming third to secure bronze.
The women's four gold medal went to Netherlands. Britain came second to take the silver, with the New Zealand crew securing the bronze.
The US won the men's four final.
