Puripol Boonson made history on 25/9 at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, by setting a new Asian Games record in the men's 100m semi-final. He finished with an impressive time of 9,91 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 9,92 seconds set by China's Su Bingtian in 2018. This achievement also marks a personal best for Boonson, improving on his 9,94 seconds from SEA Games 2025.

Boonson entered the semi-finals as the fastest qualifier, having clocked 9,95 seconds on 24/9. In semi-final one, despite a third-place reaction time of 0,158 seconds after the starting gun, he crossed the finish line first. His time was the fastest across all semi-finals, with no other athlete completing the race in under 10 seconds.

This exceptional performance positions Puripol Boonson as a top contender for the gold medal. He will compete with seven other athletes in the final, scheduled for 8:20 PM Hanoi time.

Born in 2006, Puripol is considered one of Asia's fastest-improving young sprinters, possessing significant potential to become a leading figure in short-distance events in the coming years. His rise to prominence began at SEA Games 2021, where he secured three gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay events. In 2022, Puripol consistently improved his personal bests. Notably, his time of 20,19 seconds in Almaty established Asian U18 and U20 records, making him the third-fastest young athlete globally, behind only Erriyon Knighton and Usain Bolt during their teenage years.

Returning from injury in 2023, Puripol quickly won a gold medal in the 4x100m relay at the Asian Championships, setting a national and championship record of 38,55 seconds. At ASIAD 2022 in Hangzhou, he earned a silver medal in the 100m with a time of 10,02 seconds.

Thai athlete Puripol Boonson competing in the men's 100m semi-final at ASIAD 2026, at Paloma Mizuho Stadium, Nagoya, Japan on 25/9. *Photo: AP*

The year 2024 marked a significant advancement for Puripol, as he qualified for the Paris Olympics in the 100m and was one of two flag bearers for the Thai delegation. At those Olympic Games, he reached the semi-finals, clocking 10,14 seconds. Later that year, Puripol made history by becoming the first Thai athlete to win medals at the World U20 Championships: a silver in the 100m with 10,22 seconds and a bronze in the 4x100m relay, setting a national U20 record of 39,39 seconds.

Entering 2025, Puripol maintained his high performance. He secured silver medals in the 100m and 4x100m relay at the Asian Championships in Gumi, a silver medal in the 100m at the World University Games, and reached the semi-finals of the World Championships in Tokyo with a time of 10,17 seconds. At SEA Games 33, he became the first Southeast Asian athlete to run the 100m in under 10 seconds, securing three gold medals in the men's 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay.

Hieu Luong