As per documentation

func ParseInt(s string, base int, bitSize int) (i int64, err error)

ParseInt always return int64 no matter what. Moreover

The bitSize argument specifies the integer type that the result must fit into

So basically the your bitSize parameter only tells that the string value that you are going to parse should fit the bitSize after parsing. If not, out of range will happen.

Like in this PlayGround: strconv.ParseInt("192", 10, 8) (as you see the value after the parsing would be bigger than maximum value of int8).

If you want to parse it to whatever value you need, just use int8(i) afterwards (int8, int16, int32).

P.S. because you touched the topic how to convert to specific intX, I would outline that it is also possible to convert to unsigned int.

For example strconv.Atoi.

Code:

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    "strconv"
)

func main() {
    s := "123"

    // string to int
    i, err := strconv.Atoi(s)
    if err != nil {
        // ... handle error
        panic(err)
    }

    fmt.Println(s, i)
}

One line answer is fmt.Sprint(i).

Anyway there are many conversions, even inside standard library function like fmt.Sprint(i), so you have some options (try The Go Playground):

1- You may write your conversion function (Fastest):

func String(n int32) string {
    buf := [11]byte{}
    pos := len(buf)
    i := int64(n)
    signed := i < 0
    if signed {
        i = -i
    }
    for {
        pos--
        buf[pos], i = '0'+byte(i%10), i/10
        if i == 0 {
            if signed {
                pos--
                buf[pos] = '-'
            }
            return string(buf[pos:])
        }
    }
}

2- You may use fmt.Sprint(i) (Slow)
See inside:

// Sprint formats using the default formats for its operands and returns the resulting string.
// Spaces are added between operands when neither is a string.
func Sprint(a ...interface{}) string {
    p := newPrinter()
    p.doPrint(a)
    s := string(p.buf)
    p.free()
    return s
}

3- You may use strconv.Itoa(int(i)) (Fast)
See inside:

// Itoa is shorthand for FormatInt(int64(i), 10).
func Itoa(i int) string {
    return FormatInt(int64(i), 10)
}

4- You may use strconv.FormatInt(int64(i), 10) (Faster)
See inside:

// FormatInt returns the string representation of i in the given base,
// for 2 <= base <= 36. The result uses the lower-case letters 'a' to 'z'
// for digit values >= 10.
func FormatInt(i int64, base int) string {
    _, s := formatBits(nil, uint64(i), base, i < 0, false)
    return s
}

Comparison & Benchmark (with 50000000 iterations):

s = String(i)                       takes:  5.5923198s
s = String2(i)                      takes:  5.5923199s
s = strconv.FormatInt(int64(i), 10) takes:  5.9133382s
s = strconv.Itoa(int(i))            takes:  5.9763418s
s = fmt.Sprint(i)                   takes: 13.5697761s

Code:

package main

import (
    "fmt"
    //"strconv"
    "time"
)

func main() {
    var s string
    i := int32(-2147483648)
    t := time.Now()
    for j := 0; j < 50000000; j++ {
        s = String(i) //5.5923198s
        //s = String2(i) //5.5923199s
        //s = strconv.FormatInt(int64(i), 10) // 5.9133382s
        //s = strconv.Itoa(int(i)) //5.9763418s
        //s = fmt.Sprint(i) // 13.5697761s
    }
    fmt.Println(time.Since(t))
    fmt.Println(s)
}

func String(n int32) string {
    buf := [11]byte{}
    pos := len(buf)
    i := int64(n)
    signed := i < 0
    if signed {
        i = -i
    }
    for {
        pos--
        buf[pos], i = '0'+byte(i%10), i/10
        if i == 0 {
            if signed {
                pos--
                buf[pos] = '-'
            }
            return string(buf[pos:])
        }
    }
}

func String2(n int32) string {
    buf := [11]byte{}
    pos := len(buf)
    i, q := int64(n), int64(0)
    signed := i < 0
    if signed {
        i = -i
    }
    for {
        pos--
        q = i / 10
        buf[pos], i = '0'+byte(i-10*q), q
        if i == 0 {
            if signed {
                pos--
                buf[pos] = '-'
            }
            return string(buf[pos:])
        }
    }
}

Use the strconv package's Itoa function.

For example:

package main

import (
    "strconv"
    "fmt"
)

func main() {
    t := strconv.Itoa(123)
    fmt.Println(t)
}