Thailand claimed five gold medals on the third day of competition at the World Taekwondo Beach Championships in Rhodes ©World Taekwondo

Thailand claimed five gold medals on the third day of competition at the World Taekwondo Beach Championships in Rhodes, winning three recognised poomsae events and two freestyle poomsae competitions at the Nautical Club.

Among Thailand’s winners in recognised poomsae were Kanokchanok Jareonying and Pattarapong Sengmueang in the under-17 pairs event.

Italy’s Alice Virgulto and Alessio Notaro finished in the runners-up spot, while Denmark’s Laerke Pedersen and Danish Hameed and The Netherlands’ Teun van Otterdijk and Helene Hu shared third place.

There was also success for Thailand in the men’s and women’s under-17 team competitions.

The men’s team comprised of Thanaphat Bompenthomnumsuk, Chawalit Khopana and Sengmueang.

They beat Denmark’s Emil Nørby, Hameed and Johan Diget Holledere to top honours.

Rounding out the podium were Bulgaria’s Stanislav Piperov, Boris Radev and Iliyan Dimitrov, and Italy’s Michelangelo Sampognaro, Nicolo Botrugno and Notaro.

Thailand’s women’s under-17 team was made up of Jareonying, Sakuna Laosungnoen and Pichamon Limpaiboon.

Bulgaria’s Kalina Boyanova, Simona Grigorova and Militsa Petrova finished second, while Denmark’s Caroline Pedersen, Caroline Mynderup Amby and Katharina Ariana Von Münchow came third.

One of Thailand’s two freestyle poomsae triumphs came courtesy of Bompenthomnumsuk, winner of the men’s under-17 event with a score of 35.2 points.

Spain’s Manuel Alejandro Paz Romero took the silver medal with 33.4 points and Finland’s Daniel Halonen came away with the bronze with 29.7.

The World Taekwondo Beach Championships is being broadcast live on the Olympic Channel ©World Taekwondo
The World Taekwondo Beach Championships is being broadcast live on the Olympic Channel ©World Taekwondo

Thailand also tasted victory in the mixed team event with the quintet of Jareonying, Laosungnoen, Bompenthomnumsuk, Limpaiboon and Khopana scoring 35.9 points.

Spain’s Umberto Pastore, Elena Blundo, Michelangelo Sampognaro, Alice Virgulto and Davide Turilli finished second with 34.3 points.

Rounding out the podium with 32.6 points were Italy’s Sandra Gardini Gallo, Miguel Barreiro Estevez, Eirim Vaamonde Garcia, Adrian Alonso Simon and Aitor Priego Martos.

Today's next most successful country was Denmark with four gold medals.

Denmark’s victories all came in recognised poomsae with Eva Sandersen winning the women’s under-17 individual event, and Annaline Soeberg and Benjamin Harder coming out on top in the under-30 pairs.

Lisa Lents and Kim Nedergaard triumphed in the over-30 pairs, while the trio of Agnete Jensen, Soeberg and Trine Banzon prevailed in the women’s over-17 team. 

Among Finland’s three winners were Frans Salmi in the recognised poomsae men’s under-30 individual event and Christian Kamphuis in the freestyle poomsae men’s over-17 individual. 

Kamphuis, Salmi and Olli Siltanen combined to win the recognised poomsae men’s over-17 team competition.

Another notable performance came in the men’s over-30 individual event as Othman Boularas marked Qatar’s debut at the Championships with a gold medal.  

Taking centre stage on the final day of action tomorrow is due to be the technical breaking, freestyle dynamic kicks and breaking challenge competitions.

The event is being broadcast live on the Olympic Channel.