Thailand’s national beach tennis team arrived home to cheers after passing the first qualifying round of the ITF World Team Championship in Moscow.
Satien Puranawit, team advisor and deputy rector for student affairs Burapha University, joined executives of chief sponsor Greta Farm Co. in welcoming the team back July 18, three days after Thailand placed 18th in the first round.
Thailand had sent five athletes – Napavee Jankiew, Chatmanee Jankiew, Chayanin Puttaraksasakul, Nattavee Sukantarun and Patcharin Rubkum -– and manager Hongsarod Kingmaithong to Russia for the July 15 event.
Hongsarod called the team’s double-digit finish a success, as it did well enough to make the cut among 28 teams and advance to the next round in Japan.
“The next competition will be at the end of this year and the athletes will practice to be the best-ranked,” Hongsarod said.
“We expect to send both male and female teams. The athletes are ready and confident and they want cheering and moral support from the Thai people,” she added.
