Panipak Wongpattanakit has tested positive for COVID-19 ©Getty Images

Olympic champion Panipak Wongpattanakit is among athletes struck down by a COVID-19 outbreak in the Thai taekwondo team, but officials are optimistic it will not impact preparations for the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).

Wongpattanakit was hospitalised with a sore throat and fever after testing positive, Thai News Agency reports, citing Taekwondo Association of Thailand secretary general Thanadit Raktabutr.

Three other athletes tested positive but are said to be asymptomatic.

Wongpattanakit was returning from the Spanish Open, where she won the women's under-53 kilograms event.

The 24-year-old won women's under-49kg gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and is also the reigning world champion in that division.

Panipak Wongpattanakit is a world, Olympic, Asian Games and SEA Games champion ©Getty Images
Panipak Wongpattanakit is a world, Olympic, Asian Games and SEA Games champion ©Getty Images

Wongpattanakit's gold medal represented the only title Thailand won at the Olympics, and one of only two medals for the country.

Vietnamese capital Hanoi is due to stage the SEA Games from May 12 to 23, which should give Wongpattanakit and the other athletes ample time to recover and resume their training.

The event was pushed back from 2021 because of the coronavirus crisis.

Thailand won seven gold medals in taekwondo at the 2019 SEA Games - fewer than only the Philippines, the host nation.

Wongpattanakit successfully defended her under-49kg crown.