[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] There are sports heroes who are laying down the Taegeuk mark after a 17-day Olympic journey that made the nation laugh and cry.
Kim Yeon-koung (33), the "Volleyball Emperor" who led the golden era of women's volleyball, will retire from the national team after this Olympics. After the bronze medal match against Serbia, she said, "It's hard to say, but today is practically my last game as a national team player." Kim Yeon-koung was selected for the national team at the age of 17 in 2005 and has been active for 16 years. She has spent half of her life as a national team player.
Kim Yeon-koung was a devoted leader who did not spare her body. Despite being battered by knee and abdominal muscle injuries, she always stepped onto the court for the team. When boarding the plane to Tokyo, there was widespread disbelief that the team would not even pass the group stage, but as if to mock that, the team achieved the miracle of reaching the semifinals for the first time in 9 years. Behind that was her leadership, shouting "Let's do it! Let's do it! Let's do it! No regrets" whenever the team wavered. Coach Stefano Lavarini said, "Kim Yeon-koung is not just a captain, but a leader of Korea who always unites everyone tightly with her charisma and skills."
Lee Dae-hoon (29), who has upheld the pride of the birthplace of Taekwondo, is also ending his athletic career. Wearing the Taegeuk mark on his chest for 11 years, he won a silver medal in the 58kg category at the London Olympics and a bronze medal in the 68kg category at the Rio Olympics. As this was his last Olympics, his desire for a gold medal was great. Having won numerous world championships, Lee Dae-hoon could have achieved the Grand Slam (World Championships, Asian Games, Asian Championships, Olympics) if he had won a gold medal at the Olympics, but unfortunately, he did not win a medal this time.
However, Lee Dae-hoon's sportsmanship moved many people deeply. After losing the bronze medal match on the 25th of last month, he approached Zhao Shuai (China) with a smile and gave a thumbs-up. His shining sports spirit is expected to continue in his second act as a coach. Lee Dae-hoon said, "I will study and accumulate knowledge in training," adding, "If given the opportunity, I want to continue studying while nurturing good athletes and improving on my shortcomings."
O Jin-hyuk, in his forties, who won the men's archery team gold medal in harmony with the 23-year-younger Kim Je-deok (17), is also at his last Olympics. Before the competition, O Jin-hyuk said, "Retirement is approaching, and I think this is my last Olympics. I will do my best as much as I can." He showed fighting spirit by drawing the bowstring despite having three of the four rotator cuff muscles in his shoulder torn.
In fencing, which brought 5 medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze) to our country, a generational change is taking place. Along with "fencing star" Jeon Hee-sook, who declared her retirement after the competition, Kim Ji-yeon (33) and Kang Young-mi (36) also effectively competed in their last Olympics. Kim Jung-hwan (38), the eldest male sabre fencer who reversed his retirement decision, will also lay down his sword after this tournament.
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