Gu Bon-gil Gold medal for Second Child Born

Spearheading the challenge of winning 3 consecutive wins in Korean team competitions... “I want to keep my promise of ‘individual medal’ this time.”

The 'dark horse' in the individual event is player Gu Bon-gil

This was the answer given by coach Won Woo-young of the men's sabre team when asked to name a promising player in the individual event at the fencing team's 2024 Paris Olympics media day held at the Jincheon National Athletes' Village in North Chungcheong Province on the 27th.

Gu Bon-gil (35, Korea Sports Promotion Foundation) achieved three consecutive individual wins in the Asian Games from Guangzhou in 2010 to Jakarta and Palembang in 2018, and won a silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, following his junior Oh Sang-wook (Daejeon Metropolitan City Hall).

They have made a name for themselves as a powerhouse on the Asian stage. 카지노사이트

He, who once ranked No. 1 in the individual world rankings, took the lead in achieving Korea's second consecutive team title at the 2012 London and 2021 Tokyo Games at the Olympics (the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games were excluded due to event rotation), but always left a mark in the individual competition.

He was eliminated in the round of 16 at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janeiro competitions, and had to turn around after losing in the round of 32 at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

With the Paris Olympics just two months away, Gu Bon-gil's individual world ranking is currently 21st, third among Korean players.

However, coach Won Woo-young, who chose Gu Bon-gil as a promising individual athlete, explained his reasoning by saying, "Gu Bon-gil has so much experience that he will be able to play stably.

I think he will be able to win a medal in the individual event."

Gu Bon-gil said, "Since London, when I was preparing for the Olympics, I promised reporters that my goal was to win an individual medal regardless of color, but I couldn't keep it.

This time, I will work hard to win an individual medal.

That's right, I'm a 'dark horse.'" He laughed.

In the team event, the goal is to win three games in a row, following London and Tokyo.

Kim Jeong-hwan (40, Korea Sports Promotion Foundation), who has been a supporter of the national team for a long time, is not a member of the team event this season, and Gu Bon-gil is leading the Olympic challenge as the eldest brother.

The fact that his wife, Park Eun-joo, is about to give birth to their second child this summer, in addition to the significance of being the top of the men's saber team, which has been somewhat shaken in recent international competitions as the 'world's No. 1', further increases Gu Bon-gil's motivation to bring home the gold medal.

Gu Bon-gil said, "The due date coincides with the Olympic fencing competition period," and added, "I won a gold medal in the team event at the Hangzhou Asian Games for my first child, 'Woo-joo,' who was born in March of last year, and I want to give my second child an Olympic gold medal as well.

I can be a proud father to my two children."

“I will work hard,” he said.

He continued, "While I am preparing for the Olympics, my wife is pregnant with our second child and is having a hard time raising the child alone," and added, "I really want to present her with a gold medal."

The men's sabre team, consisting of Gu Bon-gil, Oh Sang-wook, Kim Jeong-hwan, and Kim Jun-ho (Hwaseong City Hall) had been together for a long time, achieving remarkable results including an Olympic gold medal, but went through a period of generational change right before the Olympics due to Kim Jun-ho's retirement from the national team.

Park Sang-won (Daejeon Metropolitan City Hall) and Do Kyung-dong (Armed Forces Athletic Corps) joined Gu Bon-gil and Oh Sang-wook to form a new 'Appenders'.

Park Sang-won, the youngest member of the team at 23, said, "I started fencing after watching Bon-gil at the London Olympics, and it was amazing to be able to join the national team.

When I just watched him, he seemed quiet and blunt, but after spending time with him, I found out he talks a lot and is fun to be with," adding, "He's a really good senior."

Do Kyung-dong said, "I have a lot to learn from my brother, who has been active as a player since the London Olympics," and "He shares a lot of his experience."

Gu Bon-gil said, "It seems like there's a big age gap between me and my juniors, but I don't feel that big of a gap because we're close.

We have good teamwork," and added, "I'll do my best to help Korea win both the men's sabre individual and team gold medals."

Gu Bon-gil added, "These days, I'm working out twice a week at dawn and doing weight training, physical training, and technical and tactical training," and once again pledged to do well at the Olympics, adding, "I'm personally receiving psychological counseling and taking care of my mental health to prepare."