Full name Vicha Ratanachote Height 1.83 m National team Thailand Weight 75 kg | Sport Swimming Coach Mark Schubert Name Vicha Ratanachote Strokes Freestyle swimming | |
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Born 22 February 1977 (age 47) ( 1977-02-22 ) Bangkok, Thailand College team University of Southern California (U.S.) | ||
Swim clinic by vicha ratanachote
Vicha Ratanachote (Thai: วิชา รัตนโชติ; born February 22, 1977 in Bangkok) is a retired Thai swimmer, who specialized in middle-distance freestyle events. In 1999, Ratanachote became a SEA Games champion in the 200 m freestyle, and later represented Thailand at the 2000 Summer Olympics. While studying in the United States, he is a member of the USC Trojans swimming and diving team under head coach Mark Schubert.
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At the 1999 Southeast Asian Games in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Ratanachote powered past the entire field to earn a gold medal in the 200 m freestyle with a time of 1:53.43.
Ratanachote competed in the men's 200 m freestyle at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. After winning a gold medal from the SEA Games, his entry time of 1:53.43 was accredited under a FINA B-standard. He challenged seven other swimmers in heat three, including 17-year-olds Damian Alleyne of Barbados and Wu Nien-pin of the Chinese Taipei. He rounded out the field to last place by 0.33 of a second behind Wu in a time of 1:54.91. Ratanachote failed to advance into the semifinals, as he placed thirty-first overall in the prelims.