The 84-year-old collapsed after grandson clinched bronze.
The 84-year-old collapsed after grandson clinched bronze.
Bangkok
: The 84-year-old grandmother of a Thai Olympic bronze medal winner collapsed and died on Monday while celebrating the weightlifter's success in Rio, police said.
The octogenarian was watching a live broadcast of her 20-year-old grandson, Sinphet Kruaithong, take third place in the 56-kilogramme division.
But a viral video showed the jubilant scene of cheering fans in his rural hometown transform into tragedy after his grandmother, Subin Khongthap, collapsed while watching the competition on a projector.
-"The initial assumption is that she died from heart failure -- but we have to wait for the hospital's result,-" said Somwang Prangprakoan a police officer in northeastern Surin province.
-"I'm not sure if she was too excited, or if maybe she was already ill,-" he added.
During an interview with local press ahead of the competition, Sinphet's grandmother said she missed her grandson but was overjoyed by his sporting journey.
-"I cheer him on, fight fight! I miss my grandson and want him to be successful. He does this for the country to bring the gold medal back,-" she said.
Sinphet was the second Thai athlete to win a medal in Rio, following a gold secured by a female weightlifter in the 48-kilogramme category on Saturday.
Sopita Tanasan, 21, is the fourth Thai woman ever to win a weightlifting Olympic gold.
