After scoring the Korean squad¡¯s first gold medal at the ongoing Asian Games in the 100-kg class men¡¯s judo competition, Jang Sung-ho (28) first wanted to thank his wife Kim Sung-yoon (27), who had traveled all the way to Qatar to be there to support him. ¡°This gold medal is a one-year anniversary present for my wife,¡± he said. Jang was understandably emotional after finally breaking a jinx as a perpetual no. 2 that dogged him since the 2002 Asian Games and the 2004 Athens Olympics. Nobody had tagged the Korean as a potential gold medalist.
 |
|
Korean judoka Jang Sung-ho celebrates after soundly defeating 20-year-old Satoshi Ishii to take gold in the men¡¯s 100-kg class at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar on Sunday./Yonhap
|
 |
|
His opponent, 20-year-old Satoshi Ishii, was quite literally no pushover. In the grabbing fights, Ishii¡¯s moves are profoundly distressing to Jang, and backs them with the full physical strength of his youth. In their three previous matches, Jang always lost. ¡°I thought that if I lost again today, I would retire,¡± he confesses.
Having burned his bridges, he faced his adversary with a new determination. On the advice of his coach Ahn Byung-keun, he was aggressive in the grabbing match. Parrying the headlong rushing attacks of Ishii, Jang saw his chance 1 min 58 sec. from the end of the match, with an inner heel throw to secure Waza-ari.
Ishii was simply too impatient. After a few close scrapes, Jang did not let his long-awaited opportunity go to waste. With 11 seconds left on the clock, he used Ishii¡¯s strength against him to put him on the mat. A perfect victory. ¡°At that age, if he wasn¡¯t devoted, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to take the medal,¡± coach Ahn said. ¡°It¡¯s proof that he stayed committed to keeping himself in top shape even after he got married.¡± The athlete said he now craves a win at the Olympics and world championships that has eluded him so far. ¡°I¡¯ll be in Beijing in 2008.¡±
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
