Bobsleigh Sojaehwan Wins Second Gold Medal for Gangwon 2024 Korea

Bobsleigh prospect So Jae-hwan (17, Sangji Daegwallyeong High School) won the second gold medal for the Korean delegation at the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games (Gangwon 2024).

On the 23rd, So Jae-hwan took first place with a combined time of 1 minute 48.63 seconds in the 1st and 2nd runs of the men's monobob (single-person bobsleigh) event held at the Alpensia Sliding Centre in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province during Gangwon 2024.

This marked Korea's first medal in sledding events (bobsleigh, skeleton, luge) at the Winter Youth Olympics, and it was a gold medal. So Jae-hwan also became the first Asian athlete to win a gold medal in sledding events at the Winter Youth Olympics.

So Jae-hwan demonstrated overwhelming skill by winning five gold medals and three silver medals in eight appearances in the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) Youth Series this season, making him a strong gold medal contender. He is already active on the senior national team.

So Jae-hwan [Photo by Yonhap News]

So Jae-hwan began his athletic career in shot put before switching to skeleton in his third year of middle school. He has shown steady growth through various international competitions, being praised for his physique, strength, and speed.

On the day of the event, So Jae-hwan set a personal best on this track with a time of 53.80 seconds in the first run, comfortably leading second-place Jonathan Lurimi (Tunisia, 54.79 seconds) by nearly one second. In the second run, he recorded 54.83 seconds, the second-best overall time, securing his victory.

Silver medalist Lurimi (combined time 1 minute 49.96 seconds) finished 1.33 seconds behind So Jae-hwan. Lurimi has participated in a development program for athletes from winter sports underdeveloped and developing countries, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, and Pyeongchang County, and supported by the Pyeongchang Foundation since 2020 to continue the legacy of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Through this program, he was introduced to bobsleigh and, along with two female bobsleigh athletes, became the first Tunisian athletes to compete in the Winter Olympics, now adding a medal to their achievements.