SEA Games 2025 – Puripol Boonson ‘relieved’ to complete 100 meters on home track
No one else ran a triple-digit time in Bangkok on Thursday, and no one in the region has ever done so before. Previously a history maker, Boonson broke a new barrier in South East Asian sport at the Bangkok circuit.
The teenager is Thailand’s record holder in both the men’s 100m and 200m, reclaiming the regional 100m for the first time since Vietnam 2021 (held in 2022). An injury on the track during the previous edition in Cambodia prevented him from a threepeat.
“I feel relieved to have won after what happened at the last SEA Games in Cambodia,” Boonson said. “Now my goal for these SEA Games is to win more gold medals for my country. I have to prepare for the next events, the 200 meters and the 4×100 meters relay, and I want to do my best.”
Boonson was overjoyed as he reached the finish line with a dominant day on track and gratefully accepted the plaudits at the National Stadium. He wrapped a Thai flag around himself and presented a photo of the King and Queen of Thailand.
He was overcome with emotion at the medal ceremony, where he shared warm hugs with his family and friends while taking selfies with an adoring crowd in the Thai capital.
Bradley explained: “Luckily he didn’t have a lot of pressure in the semi-final. He ran easily and could run under 10.[s]. We got that goal out of the way and I told him, ‘Hey, don’t worry about running 9 seconds, win now. You never know when an opportunity will come. The opportunity may be in the heat, but not in the final. So take advantage.
“He hasn’t run the 200 in a long time, so it’ll be interesting. I think he’s a little more relaxed and confident now, so I think we should see something pretty good in the 200. I really don’t have any goal for that other than just winning, so we’ll go from there.”
Next up for 100m champion Boonson is the men’s 200m events on Saturday (December 13), before he completes his SEA Games campaign in the 4x100m relay two days later.
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