View source for Wijan Ponlid

{{short description|Thai boxer}}
{{BLP sources|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox boxer (amateur)|
| name=Wijan Ponlid <br /> {{small|[[Order of the White Elephant|TCh]], [[Order of the Crown of Thailand|TM]], [[Order of the Direkgunabhorn|ChBh]], [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Thailand#Medals for service to the nation|RChM]]}}
| image=
| image_size=
| caption =
| fullname = วิจารณ์ พลฤทธิ์
| nicknames = "Thai Pea"<br />"Ikkyū-san"
| nationality = {{THA}}
| weight class = [[Flyweight]]
| club =[[Thai Police]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|4|26}}
| birth_place =[[Amphoe Si Satchanalai|Si Satchanalai]], [[Sukhothai Province|Sukhothai]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{convert|1.62|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|51|kg|lb}}
| medaltemplates=
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney]] | [[Boxing at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Flyweight|Flyweight]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[SEA Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[1999 Southeast Asian Games|1999 Sea Games]] | Flyweight}}
}}

'''[[Lieutenant colonel|Police Lieutenant colonel]] Wijan Ponlid''' ({{langx|th|วิจารณ์ พลฤทธิ์}}; {{RTGS|''Wichan Phonrit''}}; born April 26, 1976) is a Thai [[boxing|boxer]]<ref>{{Cite web | title=Wijan Ponlid Bio, Stats, and Results {{!}} Olympics at Sports-Reference.com | url=http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/po/wijan-ponlid-1.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203201319/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/po/wijan-ponlid-1.html | archive-date=2016-12-03 | access-date=2025-04-02}}</ref> who competed in the Men's Flyweight (&ndash; 51&nbsp;kg) division at the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] and won the gold medal. He returned to Thailand to a hero's welcome: honored with a new house, over 20 million [[Thai baht|baht]], a job promotion (as a [[police officer]] in [[Sukhothai Province|Sukhothai]]), and paraded at the head of a procession of 49 elephants through the city of [[Bangkok]].

Ponlid defeated [[Vardan Zakaryan]] of [[Germany]] in round 1, [[Andrew Kooner]] of [[Canada]] in round 2, upset [[Cuba]]n [[Manuel Mantilla]] in the quarterfinal, beat [[Vladimir Sidorenko]] of [[Ukraine]] in the semifinal, and finally met [[1996 Summer Olympics|Atlanta]] silver medalist [[Bulat Jumadilov]] of [[Kazakhstan]] in the final. The Thai led after every round of the bout, despite Jumadilov taking the second 6-5 to pull back to 9-7 behind, and caused endless problems for the Kazakh with his probing right lead and quick left.

In a messy fight, both men fell to the canvas twice in the third round as they pushed and clinched, but Ponlid led 15-11 at the bell and then made sure of gold by dominating the fourth.

He is the second Thai athlete to win an Olympic gold medal, following fellow boxer  [[Somluck Kamsing]]’s euphoric victory at Atlanta in 1996.

And just as Thai supporters feted Somluck in Atlanta for winning Thailand’s first Olympic gold in 44 years, they were just as ecstatic, waving national flags and chanting his name, as Ponlid was acclaimed the champion.

In victory Ponlid held aloft a framed photo of King Bhumibol in the ring with the red, white and blue flag of Thailand draped around his shoulders.

In [[Muay thai]] he fought under the names '''Sisatchanalai Taxi Meter''' ({{langx|th|ศรีสัชนาลัย แท็กซี่มิเตอร์}}) and '''Sisatchanalai Sasiprapagym''' ({{langx|th|ศรีสัชนาลัย ศศิประภายิม}}).

Life after boxing, he served as a police officer in his hometown of Sukhothai. He was also the head coach of the [[Thailand at the 2024 Summer Olympics#Boxing|women's boxing national team competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web|language=thai|title=นักชกเสื้อกล้ามไทยพร้อมบู๊โอลิมปิก "เฟี้ยว-เนย" ประเดิม 27 ก.ค.นี้|url=https://www.siamsport.co.th/olympics/57057/|date=2024-07-16|accessdate=2024-07-22|work=Siamsport}}</ref> After the Olympics, after winning a [[Boxing at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's 66 kg|bronze medal]] from [[Janjaem Suwannapheng]] in the [[welterweight]] (66 kg) division, he was appointed as the head coach of the Thailand national amateur boxing team for both men and women. The ultimate goal is to capture a gold medal at the [[2028 Summer Olympics]] in Los Angeles.

==Olympic results==
*Defeated [[Vardan Zakaryan]] (Germany) RSC 4
*Defeated [[Andrew Kooner]] (Canada) 11-7
*Defeated [[Manuel Mantilla]] (Cuba) 19-8
*Defeated [[Wladimir Sidorenko]] (Ukraine) 14-11
*Defeated [[Bulat Zhumadilov]] (Kazakhstan) 19-12

Has been called the "Thai Pea" in reference to another great southpaw defensive boxing master, [[Pernell Whitaker|Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker]].

==Muay Thai record==
{{Kickboxing record start|norec=y|title= Muay Thai record |record=}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1999-03- || Win ||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Sansananchai Kiatprasarnchai ||[[Rangsit Stadium]] || [[Pathum Thani, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|-
! style=background:white colspan=9 |{{small|Wins the vacant Rangsit Stadium 118 lbs title.}}

|- style="background:#c5d2ea;"
| 1999-01-21 || Draw ||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Sansananchai Kiatprasarnchai ||[[Rangsit Stadium]] || [[Pathum Thani, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 1998-12- || Loss ||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Kasemlek Kiatsiri ||[[Rangsit Stadium]] || [[Pathum Thani, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 1998-11-18 || Loss||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Yodthanu Daopaetriew || [[Rangsit Stadium]] || [[Pathum Thani, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|-
! style=background:white colspan=9 |{{small|For the Rangsit Stadium 115 lbs title.}}

|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1998-10-15 || Win ||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Sornram Sitsiayam || [[Rangsit Stadium]] || [[Pathum Thani, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 1998-07-13 || Loss||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} [[Saenchai|Saenchai Sor.Kingstar]] || [[Lumpinee Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1997-12-08 || Win||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Yodthanu Daopaetriew || [[Rajadamnern Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|-
! style=background:white colspan=9 |{{small|Wins Rajadamnern Stadium 115 lbs title.}}

|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 1997-10-09 || Loss||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Palangphet Por.Srithong || [[Lumpinee Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 1997-03-12 || Loss||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Sansananchai Kiatprasarnchai || [[Rajadamnern Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 1996-10-21 || Loss||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Palangphet Por.Srithong || [[Rajadamnern Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1996-04-04 || Win||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} [[Chartchainoi Chaorai-Oi]] || [[Rajadamnern Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 1995-09-13 || Loss||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Jaipetch Chor.Chutirat || [[Rajadamnern Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1995-08-17 || Win||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Saenthanong Lukbanyai || [[Rajadamnern Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1995-03-09 || Win||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Khaopong Pinsinchai || [[Rajadamnern Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1994-10-13 || Win||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Petchwangchan Lukchaophophrakan || [[Rajadamnern Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1994-02-16 || Win||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Inseenoi Sereefarm || [[Rajadamnern Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00

|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1993-04-22 || Win||align=left|{{flagicon|THA}} Surat Kiatkamthorn || [[Rajadamnern Stadium]] || [[Bangkok, Thailand]] || Decision || 5 || 3:00
|-
| colspan=9 | '''''Legend''''': {{legend2|#CCFFCC|Win |border=1px solid #CCFFCC}} {{legend2|#FFBBBB|Loss |border=1px solid #FFBBBB}} {{legend2|#c5d2ea|Draw/No contest |border=1px solid #c5d2ea}} {{legend2|White|Notes |border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{SR/Olympics profile|po/wijan-ponlid-1}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Boxing Flyweight}}
{{Olympic medalists for Thailand}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ponlid, Wijan}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Boxers at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Olympic boxers for Thailand|Wijan Ponlid]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Thailand|Wijan Ponlid]]
[[Category:Thai police officers|Wijan Ponlid]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in boxing]]
[[Category:People from Sukhothai province|Wijan Ponlid]]
[[Category:Thai male boxers|Wijan Ponlid]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1999 SEA Games]]
[[Category:SEA Games medalists in boxing]]
[[Category:SEA Games gold medalists for Thailand|Wijan Ponlid]]
[[Category:Flyweight boxers]]
[[Category:Boxing trainers]]
[[Category:20th-century Thai sportsmen|Wijan Ponlid]]