“Piyada Peeramatukorn,” Chulalongkorn University’s Sports Science Student Rising Rhythmic Gymnast Star 

Rhythmic Gymnastics is a sport that showcases graceful movements synchronized to music. It emphasizes flexibility, muscle strength, and balance, with the use of equipment such as ribbons, clubs, hoops, ropes, and balls. Requiring endurance and consistency in training, becoming a successful rhythmic gymnast, and achieving success at the national and international levels is not an easy feat. 

Piyada (Porpor) Peeramatukorn, a freshman at the Faculty of Sports Science, Chulalongkorn University, is a rhythmic gymnast on the Thai national team, whose impressive performance is a point of pride for the university. Piyada is a 9-time national rhythmic gymnastics champion, 3-time Thailand National Youth Games champion, and 2-time Thailand National Games champion. Having won the Department of Physical Education Games 5 times, as well as the National School Games, she is the first rhythmic gymnast in Thailand and in Southeast Asia to receive a scholarship from the International Gymnastics Federation. At the recent JRC Star Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships 2023 in December 2023, Piyada put in another spectacular performance, winning 6 gold medals and becoming the champion in the general public category for the second time. Next, Piyada will participate in international competitions, namely the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships and the Rhythmic Gymnastics Asian Championship in Uzbekistan.  

Piyada, or Porpor, started playing rhythmic gymnastics when she was 4 years old by joining the Jintana Gymnastics Club. She made the national youth squad at 13. The charm of rhythmic gymnastics lies in the combination of flexibility and strength, blended together into beautiful movements. Apart from promoting health, rhythmic gymnastics also helps develop a good personality. The gymnast who inspired her is Tharatip (Mo) Sridee, a former Thai national gymnast with the nickname “Queen of Gymnastics.”

Piyada said that there are 3 types of competitive gymnastics in Thailand: artistic gymnastics, aerobic gymnastics, and rhythmic gymnastics. Artistic gymnastics emphasizes strength, such as bar routines. Aerobic gymnastics uses strength on the floor exercise. Rhythmic gymnastics combines both flexibility and strength, along with the use of apparatuses that need to be constantly tossed and caught. She thinks the most difficult apparatus is the ribbon due to its length and the requirement for graceful movements. 

Piyada revealed her techniques to success to be regularly taking care of her health and having discipline in undergoing rigorous training. Before a competition, she will train to the fullest, get enough rest, and meditate. Her meditation routine while training for a competition involves closing her eyes and visualizing the posture to be as perfect as possible. 

Despite having to train 6 days a week, Piyada also prioritizes her studies at the Faculty of Sports Science. She may have to miss some classes during training and competitions, but she’s received full support from the faculty and her friends. Moreover, she has participated in university activities, joining the CU Color Guard in the CU-TU Unity Football Match 2024. Her dream for the future is to become a coach for Thailand’s national gymnastics team.  

“Speak less, act more, focus, and train to the best of your ability” is Piyada’s secret to success. Her ultimate goal is to win the gold medal at the SEA Games 2025 of which Thailand is the host and to represent Thailand in the Olympic Games in the future.  

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