HANGZHOU, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- After winning a bronze medal in the wheelchair tennis women's doubles here on Wednesday, 52-year-old Sakhon Khanthasit of Thailand concluded her fourth Asian Para Games journey.
Despite her age, Khanthasit is still aiming for a fifth Asian Para Games appearance and perhaps beyond. "As long as I'm still capable of playing, I will continue with wheelchair tennis," she said.
Born in 1971, Khanthasit is one of the three wheelchair tennis players and the only female who has competed at all four Asian Para Games since its inaugural edition in Guangzhou in 2010.
Khanthasit's impairment in her left leg is a result of poliomyelitis, but it never stopped her passion for sports. Not content with being a spectator, Khanthasit decided to participate in some kind of sport and eventually started practicing wheelchair tennis because she likes "challenging sport".
Ever since, Khanthasit has competed at five Paralympic Games in 2000, 2004, 2012, 2016 and 2021, with her best result being runners-up in the women's doubles at the Athens Games.
Khanthasit has a more dazzling record at Asian Para Games, as she clinched both the women's singles and doubles golds in 2010 and 2014, along with a doubles bronze at Jakarta 2018, which made her a "legend" among the younger generations.
The 52-year-old still maintains a high-intensity in her training: six days a week with four hours in the morning and four hours in the afternoon.
Compared to her previous achievement, a bronze in the doubles and a quarterfinal exit in the singles in Hangzhou is not satisfying enough. Due to injury, she was a bit under-trained prior to the Games and her body condition was not at 100 percent.
"I hope I can be better prepared next time, and play better," she added.
