Straightened Bent Back and Ran 150m... The Miracle Shown by 'National Marathoner' Lee Bong-ju

Lee Bong-ju, Suffering from Intractable Disease,
Runs 150m at Marathon Event on the 21st

'National Marathoner' Lee Bong-ju (54), who had been suffering from an intractable disease, ran again after 4 years.

On the 21st, Lee Bong-ju participated in the '28th Samcheok Hwang Young-jo International Marathon' and ran a distance of 150 meters. Hwang Young-jo, director of the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, stayed by Lee Bong-ju's side and ran together. The event was attended by about 5,000 people, including 200 foreigners from 15 countries.

On that day, Lee Bong-ju said about his physical condition, "I have improved a lot. Not 100% better, but about 60%," and added, "I am continuously improving, so I want to get better and build a body that can complete 10km, half, and full courses."

Lee Bong-ju is seen sprinting off the starting line at the "Lee Bong-ju Get Well Soon Marathon" held in November 2021 at Bucheon Sports Complex in Bucheon City.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, in 2020, Lee Bong-ju was diagnosed with a rare disease called 'dystonia' after suffering from unexplained pain. This disease causes problems in the command system transmitting signals from the brain nerves to the muscles, resulting in involuntary muscle tension and contraction. At that time, he showed difficulty moving, with his back bent and neck twisted at a 90-degree angle, which caused concern. In 2021, Lee Bong-ju also underwent a 6-hour surgery to remove a 'spinal arachnoid cyst.'

Netizens are sending messages of support for Lee Bong-ju's recent condition. They commented, "Lee Bong-ju's willpower to overcome an intractable disease and run again after 4 years is amazing," "It must have been very difficult during rehabilitation exercises. Always cheering for you," and "It was heartbreaking to see him struggle with the disease, but it's so good to see him running again."

Lee Bong-ju participated in the 28th Samcheok Hwang Young-jo International Marathon on the 21st. [Image source=Kangwon Ilbo YouTube]

Meanwhile, Lee Bong-ju is a marathoner with records including a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, a gold medal at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, a victory at the 2001 Boston Marathon, and a gold medal at the 2002 Busan Asian Games. He was also awarded the Cheongryong Medal, the highest grade of the Sports Merit Award, in 2009.