By Breya Busby
Triangle contributing writer
Vorawuth Pattrakulchai, better known as “Pun-Pun” to his many friends and teammates on the Wingate University campus, makes waves in the WU Natatorium—where as the school’s only dual-sport athlete you’ll find him practicing with the men’s swimming and triathlon teams—but he’s also made a splash in the classroom, where he’s a double major in Recreation and Sport Management carrying a 3.7 grade-point average. Despite that demanding schedule, the charismatic senior from Thailand still found time last semester to campaign for and win Wingate’s “Top Dog” competition during Homecoming Week.
Pattrakulchai credits swimming with giving him a “safe place” away from his daily grind and says it has always been more than just a sport to him. The rhythm of the water, he says, has been key to his mental approach. The pressure of juggling schoolwork, athletic commitments and his personal life might be too much for many student-athletes to handle.
“Swimming helps me with my mental clarity and well-being because it gives me time away from all the hustle of everyday life,” he says. “I go into a meditative-like condition when swimming, which helps me to collect my thoughts and remain composed. I’m so appreciative that it’s a part of my everyday schedule.”
Pattrakulchai’s advice to any Wingate student trying to balance a busy is quite simple: “Sleep, and prioritize your health before all else.”
Pattrakulchai’s commitment to his physical and mental well-being extends beyond just swimming and academics. Working behind the camera as a talented videographer, he is a key member of the athletic department’s content-production team. During the day, he frequently films games or practices for a variety of teams, including basketball and football. At night and on weekends, he edits the footage, often staying on campus late into the evening to do so.
“I rely heavily on having a structured physical calendar,” he says. “I use Google Calendar to plan out all my shoots, meetings and classes around my practice schedule. Having a tangible schedule helps me stay organized with all these different responsibilities. … There are days when I’ll be shooting a game or practice in the morning and then going straight to swim practice in the afternoon. … If I have a shoot or meeting scheduled, I make sure to plan swim practice around it. It’s about understanding that I can’t be in two places at once, so I make sure that I’m not overcommitting myself. And when it’s time for swimming, that’s my focus. When I’m in the pool, I’m 100% there.”
Pattrakulchai was recruited to Wingate to be a part of a new men’s triathlon program, but last year the school’s head swim coach, Kevin Hennessy, reached out to him about helping out the Bulldog swimmers in the long-distance events that are similar to the length of a triathlon swim (1.5 meters). Pattrakulchai decided to take advantage of the chance, motivated by his parents’ advice to never pass up an opportunity. He has regularly competed for the Wingate swimmers this season in the 1,650-yard freestyle.
“My parents always encouraged me to seize every chance that presented itself,” he recalls. “I saw the opportunity to get back in touch with my roots and experience swimming at the collegiate level when the coach reached out to me.”
Pattrakulchai says that being a part of both the swim and triathlon teams at Wingate has given him a greater appreciation for each sport.
“Swimming is where it all began for me, but triathlon taught me the discipline of juggling different sports,” he said. “So far, [doing both has] been fantastic. Following a passion that began my athletic career has brought me a great deal of happiness and accomplishment.”
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