Tracing the journey of "View" Kunlavut Vitidsarn from his disappointment losing the 2024 Olympic final in France to winning historic gold at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.
At the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, "View" Kunlavut Vitidsarn successfully reached the men's singles badminton final, marking a significant milestone for him and Thai badminton. His opponent in the final was the experienced Victor Axelsen from Denmark, a competitor against whom Kunlavut often had less favorable results and seemed to struggle.
In the final, Kunlavut Vitidsarn fought with all his might but was unable to overcome Victor Axelsen's strength, losing 0-2 with scores of 11-21, 11-21. Although finishing as runner-up, this was a historic silver medal—the first Olympic badminton medal for Thailand. Despite the defeat's pain, it became a crucial motivation for him to strive to improve and elevate his performance.
After the Olympics, Kunlavut Vitidsarn experienced fluctuating form due to his physical condition but remained committed to training and competing at the international level. He eventually climbed to world No. 2 and steadily improved his standard of play.
The 2026 Asian Games in Japan was a major event that Kunlavut aimed to excel in. Initially, he was uncertain because he felt he was not in his best form. Upon reaching the final by defeating Alwi Farhan, the world No. 10 from Indonesia, Kunlavut admitted he did not expect to progress so far.
On 29 September 2026, Kunlavut Vitidsarn received the good news of reclaiming the world No. 1 men's singles ranking for the third time—previously achieved on 3 June 2025 after winning the Singapore Open, becoming the first Thai male singles player to reach No. 1, and again on 10 March 2026 after reaching the All England Open semifinals.
In the Asian Games final, Kunlavut faced Loh Kean Yew, the world No. 13 from Singapore, and defeated him 2-0 with scores of 21-12, 21-16 to win the gold medal. This victory made history for Thai badminton after 60 years, as he became the first Thai male athlete to win an individual gold medal since badminton was included in the Asian Games in 1962.
This also ended a 56-year wait for a Thai men's singles medal since Sangob Rattanusorn won bronze at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok. Kunlavut said, “Honestly, I almost want to pinch myself to see if it’s real. It feels like a dream. Before the tournament, I wasn’t in my best form and my opponents were well prepared. But today, I’m so happy it feels like a dream. I’m very glad.”
“I dedicate this medal to all Thai people currently suffering from flooding. I think the Thai people are fighting much harder than I am. My role is just to fight on the court, but some people have to wade through floods to buy essentials and face much greater hardships. Finally, I want to thank all the seniors, supporters, my family, and my coach. I offer this gold medal as encouragement to everyone.”