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Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakoon, the Olympic weightlifting gold medallist, and every Thai athlete want the fans to remember their years of hard work and their spirit of perseverance against all odds. These athletes want to serve as an example for their fans, to show them that anything is possible if they have determination.

Unfortunately, certain Thai media outlets didn't get their message. They treated the successful athletes like commodities. Prapawadee recently came under pressure for her refusal to appear on reality shows or answer certain questions about her personal life.

Every time someone asked the strong-willed Prapawadee about her personal life, she responded that she was willing to talk only about how she worked hard for her success.

Prapawadee's remark should be taken seriously. If the country wants to successfully improve the level of its athletes, everyone should treat them fairly. Sponsors should be consistent with the support they provide and the media should focus on the determination of the athletes instead of covering their victories as if they were reporting on a person who had just won the lottery. These athlete's stories are about people who have overcome major challenges through years of hard work. Over the past two days, Somjit and Manus allowed members of the press to report on their training sessions even though this might prove distracting because they want to get the message out that their victories don't come easily. They are the end result of years of hard work.

Today, even if both boxers end up with silver medals (although we hope that doesn't happen), they have already made the country happy. So let's give them something they want - the chance to inspire the young. It would be a shame if this does not happen.