Thai boxer
Somluck Kamsing (name used in the 1996 Summer Olympics) or Somrak Kamsing (Thai: สมรักษ์ คำสิงห์; RTGS: Somrak Khamsing; born January 16, 1973) is a Thai kickboxer and Olympic gold medal-winning amateur boxer. During the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, Kamsing lit the torch during the Games' opening ceremony. Kamsing was born in Khon Kaen. His elder brother Somrot Kamsing also competed at the highest level as an amateur boxer.
Amateur boxing career
Somrak started to compete in amateur boxing in parallel as his muay thai career, he earned a bronze medal at the 1989 King's Cup and a gold medal in the 1995 edition. At the 1996 Summer Olympics he won a gold medal in the men's Featherweight category, beating Ramaz Paliani and Serafim Todorov among others, becoming the first Thai athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics.
He also competed at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics without winning any medals. Kamsing placed second at the 1st AIBA Asian 2004 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Guangzhou, China. In the final, he lost to North Korea's Kim Song-Guk. Having reached the final, however, he qualified for the Athens Games.
Muay Thai career
At age 7, Somluck began training and fighting in Muay Thai. At 11, he moved to Bangkok to fight in the bigger stadiums under the name Pimaranlek Sitaran (พิมพ์อรัญเล็ก ศิษย์อรัญ). Prior to switching to amateur boxing he was viewed as one of the best fighters in the sport. He didn't compete competitively in Thailand after making the switch, but he did take up the occasional fight against foreign fighters.[2]
In 2012 he made a return to the major boxing stadiums, not as a serious fighter, but to fight other semi-retired legends in hopes of attracting people to the sport. He beat fellow legend Jomhod Kiatadisak on October 4, 2012 at Rajadamnern Stadium in a fight with the largest ever side bet in Muay Thai, 5.27 million baht on the line.[3]
They fought again on December 7, 2012 on the Lumpinee stadium birthday show. This time Jomhod Kiatadisak won by points.
They fought third match with a 6 million baht side bet on February 7, 2013 and Somluck won again by decision.[4][5]
However, he lost to American Nak Muay Chike Lindsay by unanimous decision in a modified Thai boxing Push Kick: World Stand Off in Pomona, California, on March 2, 2013.[6]
Somluck fought to a draw with another legend, Yodwanpadet Sor Junlasen under special rules, at Rajadamnern Stadium on 2 April 2015. Somluck was only allowed to punch while Yodwanpadet could fight full Muay Thai.[7]
Movie career
He has later played athletic roles in Thai movies, notably Kerd ma lui.
He appeared in Fearless with Jet Li, although his scene was cut from the international release of the film. However, a special version was shown in cinemas in Thailand in March 2006, in which his scene was restored. He portrayed a boxer who challenges Jet Li's character.
He was seen recently on screens playing a Muay Thai trainer in A Prayer Before Dawn.
Singing career
He also made his debut as a singer in 2006, performing at the Pattaya Music Festival and releasing an album and a music video (featuring fellow boxer Khaosai Galaxy as a shy man being approached by a young woman).
