National roller skating team member Jeong Cheol-won (27, Andong City Hall), who missed the gold medal due to an early ceremony at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, issued an apology.
Jeong Cheol-won said on his social network service ( SNS )스포츠토토 on the 5th, “I did something careless that an athlete should not do in the final of the 3000m team event at the Asian Games. I sincerely apologize to the athletes I competed with and to the many fans. I am sorry.” .
He continued, “I sincerely regret and reflect on my actions of not doing my best as a player representing my country until the end,” and added, “I will strive to become a player who always does his best until the end.”
On the 2nd, Jeong Cheol-won emerged as the last runner in the 3000m relay finals held at the Qiantang Roller Sports Center in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, and held a ceremony by raising his arms in front of the finish line. Meanwhile, the Taiwanese player put his left foot out and crossed the finish line first, and Korea suffered a come-from-behind defeat.
Korea (4 minutes 5.702 seconds) fell behind Taiwan (4 minutes 5.692 seconds) by 0.01 seconds and took the silver medal. Because of this, his national teammate Choi In-ho (22, Nonsan City Hall), including Jeong Cheol-won, also did not receive special military service benefits.
Jeong Cheol-won hung the silver medal around his neck with a stern expression at the awards ceremony that followed the game, and left the common coverage area (mixed zone) with a tearful face. After the awards ceremony, he said, “I let my guard down,” and “I’m sorry, we worked hard together.”
This is the second time that a Korean player who participated in the Asian Games has posted an apology, following tennis player Kwon Soon-woo (Dangjin City Hall). After losing to a Thai player in the second round of the men’s singles held on the 25th of last month, he posted a handwritten apology after engaging in unsportsmanlike behavior such as slamming his racket on the ground.
Meanwhile, Choi Gwang-ho, who had already been exempted from military service due to ulcerative colitis, previously won a gold medal in the men’s 1000m sprint. Korean roller skaters have won medals for three consecutive days since the competition schedule began on the 30th of last month.