Shooting was like fate for Seo Hoon-tae (39, Kolon), the captain of the shooting team for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
Having suffered a spinal cord disorder in a fall accident while serving as a special forces officer in 2008, he initially preferred active sports and played table tennis and wheelchair rugby, but was not hit well, so he became a shooter in 2018.
“Isn’t shooting static compared to the other two events? Originally, I tried not to think it was boring. It’s because I like to move. But as I was doing it, I was focusing on the time without knowing the time was going by,” he said.
The power to immerse himself in shooting led Seo to the Paralympics.
He scored 231.7 points in the final round of the shooting R4 mixed 10-meter air rifle (sports grade SH2) held at Chatoru Shooting Center in France on the 30th (Korea time), ranking third after Goraz de Tirsek (253.3 points in Slovenia) and Tanguy Forest (253.1 points in France).
“Now shooting has become my first Paralympic event and the event that allowed me to win a medal,” he said, laughing at the joint coverage area after the game. 토토사이트
Seo has thoroughly prepared for his first Paralympic Games. Meeting Tangi in the final with his French home fan on his back, the arena was full of excitement. However, Seo used his past experiences at the World Championships.
He said, “I saw French fans who filled the hall once giving me hot support, so I couldn’t pay too much attention.”
“If there’s something unfortunate, I said I’d spend enough time (50 seconds), but I think there was something that wasn’t checked well.”
Seo finished the preliminary and final competitions on the day. He also left unforgettable memories with his mother Lim Jeong-ae, who worked with him on the day, and also left a message to his father, who wanted to share the honor of winning his first Paralympic medal.
“Actually, I rarely talk to my father. Should I say I’m blunt? But I was always grateful for his support. My mother came here as a loader, but my father is in Korea, so I want to take this opportunity to say thank you,” he said.
The following is a question and answer with Seo Hoon-tae.
-How do you feel about the medal.
“I was very nervous. I was a little bit disappointed. I wasn’t nervous. I was a little late in shooting. I couldn’t see the stopwatch because I was covered by people. That’s too bad. I shot it in a hurry. I usually see the clock on the monitor, but I didn’t see it this time. I covered the wall clock. So the timing of the attack was a little faster than usual.”
-The French crowd cheered loudly.
“I didn’t pay much attention. I had the experience of being discouraged by French people’s cheers at the World Championships in the past. So I thought I shouldn’t be discouraged by those cheers. French spectators tend to cheer even if their players shoot low scores.”
-It was the first and last game.
“I will cheer for our athletes a lot. If I didn’t win a medal, I think I would have stayed at the dorm.”
-The past history of special forces is being highlighted.
“It’s completely different from military shooting here. It looks the same from a big frame, but it’s completely different. I don’t compare it to military shooting.”
-I had good shooting performances during the Olympics.
“I tend to win a lot of medals in shooting for the disabled in other competitions as well. There are many points for the disabled Korean athletes, so I think anyone who participates can get a medal.”
-Yoo Yeon-soo is here today.
“I’m the captain of the national team, but I asked a lot and talked a lot, so we got close.”
-What part did you ask.
“It hasn’t been long since I got hurt, and I’ve been thinking about various sports, and they ask me a lot about what kind of sports are right for me. I’ve also experienced many sports, and once I’ve experienced it, I told them that there will be a suitable sport.”
-I used to play table tennis and wheelchair rugby.
“Table tennis didn’t suit me well. I watched the Paralympics in the intensive care unit during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and that was when I first experienced table tennis. Rugby was difficult to play alone and I had to build a lot of muscles. I was looking for a sport that I could play alone, but I had fun shooting. At first, I didn’t want to do it because it was not fun, but when I focused on my day, I lost track of time.”
-The person I’m thankful for.
“My father and I are blunt, so we don’t really talk. But he helps me a lot from behind. I’m always grateful.”