Bangkok: “Bew” Puripol Boonsorn claimed a gold medal in the men’s 100-meter race at the SEA Games, marking an unprecedented achievement for Thailand as he became the first Thai sprinter to complete the race in under 10 seconds.

According to Thai News Agency, the athletics competition at the 2025 SEA Games kicked off its medal contests at the Supachalasai National Stadium. In the men’s 100-meter final, 19-year-old Thai sprinter “Bew” Puripol Boonsorn, who previously secured a silver medal at the 2025 World University Games and the 2022 Asian Games, along with three gold medals at the 2021 SEA Games, participated. He recently made history by becoming the first Thai athlete to run the distance in under 10 seconds during the semi-final, clocking in at 9.94 seconds.

In the final showdown, Bew, running in lane 5, dashed to victory with a time of 10.00 seconds, securing the gold medal, his fourth at the SEA Games. Muhammad Lalu Zohri from Indonesia finished in second place, earning the silver medal with a time of 10.25 seconds.

The bronze medal went to Muhammad Rosli Danish from Malaysia, who also completed the race in 10.25 seconds. Following the race, Bew Puripol expressed his delight at having broken the 10-second barrier.

In another track event, the men’s 1,500-meter final saw Kirin Tantiwate, the Thai-American runner and reigning champion from the previous SEA Games, emerge victorious. He finished with a time of 3 minutes 47.50 seconds, clinching the gold medal. Indonesia’s Putra Wayudi claimed the silver medal with a time of 3 minutes 49.03 seconds, while Luong Duc Phuong from Vietnam took the bronze with a time of 3 minutes 50.13 seconds.