Swiss Hug Marcel picked up silver with 00.03s behind, while compatriot Saichon Konjen won additional bronze medal for Thailand after completing the distance in 3.00.86 minutes. Another Thai, Rawat Tana did not finish the race.
The victory of the 35-year-old from Sa Kaeo, who handed Thailand the first Rio Paralympic gold on Sunday in the men’s 5,000m (T54), helped Thailand meet the initial target of four gold medals set by the Thailand’s Paralympic contingent. At the previous edition of the Paralympic Games four years ago in London, Thailand also returned with a great pride after winning four gold medals.
Winning the men’s 1,500m, Prawat became the most accomplished Thai athlete with disabilities as he has already captured seven gold medals in the Paralympic Games history. Aside from the men’s 10,000m and 5,000m at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, Prawat also made much of the impact to win the men’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay events in Athens in 2004 and 5,000m in Beijing in 2008. He repeated the 5,000 feat in Rio de Janeiro last Sunday before winning the 1,500m on Tuesday.
On the same day, Thailand claimed two silver medals in fencing and archery. Wheelchair fencer Saysunee Jana, gold medallist at the 2004 Athens and 2012 London Games, lost her individual epee (Category crown) when the 42-year-old from Chiang Mai settled for the silver medal following a disappointing 10-15 loss to Chinese Zhou Jingjing in the final match.
In the archery competition, Hanreuchai Netsiri, who clinched gold medal at the 2013 World Para Championships in Bangkok, lost 3-7 to Iranian Rahimi Gholamreza in the final of men’s individual recurve (Open).
So far, the Thailand’s Paralympic contingent captured 4 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze medals to move up to the 19th place at the medal tally. China stay atop the standing with 63 gold, followed by Great Britain and Ukraine with 34 and 27 gold medals respectively.
AFP
