Mum's the word for Thai boxer Kaeo Pongprayoon

LONDON (AFP) –

Kaeo Pongprayoon of Thailand celebrates following victory over Aleksandar Aleksandrov of Bulgaria in the Light Flyweight boxing quarterfinals of the 2012 London Olympic Games at the ExCel Arena in London. Pongprayoon advanced to the semi-finals with a 16-10 points decision.

Thailand’s light flyweight Kaeo Pongprayoon reached the Olympic semi-finals on Wednesday — and said his first priority was to tell his mother.

Pongprayoon, who is at his first Games at 32, will finish with at least a bronze medal after his 16-10 quarter-final win over Bulgaria’s Aleksandar Aleksandrov.

“I want to say to my mum, ‘I have done it mum. I am going to bring back a medal’,” beamed the Thai, who will face Russia’s David Ayrapetyan in Friday’s semi-final.

“This is my first Olympics and I am not going home empty-handed.”

His Cuban coach Omar Peuntes Malagon told AFP that Pongprayoon beat Aleksandrov because “extensively studying the Bulgarian allowed us to see his weak points”.

“I saw a video from a tournament of Turkey, and in his first fight here, and told Kaeo the tactic was to hit him, then move. He could not hang around with him because he is very strong,” added Malagon.

For the next match against third-seed Ayrapetyan, Pongprayoon said his plan is simple.

“Whatever the coach tells me,” he said with a big smile, waving a small Thailand flag in his hand.