Consecutive KO Wins with "Right Straight" Lead to Finals
Sejong Boxing Dominates the Ring, Showcasing Relentless Passion
Park Taerang, who represented Sejong City at the 54th National Youth Sports Festival, advanced to the finals with consecutive KO victories and won the gold medal by a unanimous decision from all judges, is smiling brightly.
It was a fierce punch. In every round, Park Taerang, a welterweight boxer, landed powerful left and right punches, driving his opponent into a groggy state and unleashing a barrage of hooks and straight punches with both hands. The flurry of high-level punches was so intense that it was hard to believe they came from a boxer weighing over 60kg. From the moment he stepped into the ring, Park dominated his opponent and took control, showcasing his full range of skills throughout the match.
Leading up to the 54th National Youth Sports Festival, Park endured grueling training sessions, channeling all the skills he had honed for the sole purpose of representing Sejong City in the squared ring. He poured his passion and hope into this one match, giving it everything he had.
In the match where Park Taerang (affiliated with Kim Jungwan Champion Boxing Gym) represented Sejong City, his performance was undeniably outstanding. It was widely regarded as remarkable that such an explosive style of boxing could be displayed in amateur boxing, not just in the professional arena. Both the audience and coaches at the venue watched Park’s match in awe and silence.
At 16 years old and standing 183cm tall, Park used his sharp left hook and straight punches as his main weapons, achieving consecutive KO victories from the preliminary rounds all the way to the finals. However, Park became embroiled in a doping controversy. After winning the final, a urine test conducted by the Korea Anti-Doping Agency detected banned substances, leading to a determination of doping.
Park's team made every effort to retain the gold medal, submitting relevant explanatory documents to the committee until recently. However, they were ultimately unable to convince the committee and had to return the gold medal.
The National Youth Sports Festival, along with the National Sports Festival, serves as a crucial stepping stone for athletes aspiring to become national representatives, making it one of the country’s premier sporting events. In such a significant competition, Park, who had earned the title of boxing hero and gold medalist through an outstanding performance, was stripped of his medal.
Recently, Park’s team has completed a hearing with the committee. Although the gold medal has been revoked, Park remains undeterred and is determined to focus on training once again in pursuit of another medal. The key issue now is how long Park will be suspended from competition before he can participate in future events. Park’s trainer commented, “There are still major national events ahead, such as the National Sports Festival and the national team selection trials. We are concerned about the length of Park’s suspension, but as long as his skills speak for themselves, he can win another gold medal.”
Meanwhile, as Park’s performance has drawn renewed attention, the local boxing community has voiced strong support, stating, “We may not know why a substance considered indicative of doping was detected in Park, but his abilities are undeniable. Anyone who witnessed his match cannot dispute his talent, and we firmly believe in him.” They added, “It is essential to remember that Park’s gold medal was the first ever for Sejong City in boxing at the National Youth Sports Festival.”
Athlete Park Taerang received a commendation from the President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, representing hundreds of athletes who participated in the National Youth Sports Festival as representatives of Sejong City.
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