President Yoon Suk Yeol encouraged badminton national team member Ahn Se-young.
President Yoon encouraged Ahn Se-young and other athletes at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on the 22nd.
In addition to the athletes, more than 270 people attended the event, including family members, leaders, officials from Gyeonggi organizations, employees of the Jincheon National Training Center, cooks who were dispatched to Paris to make lunch boxes, researchers from the Korea Sports Science Institute, and police officers who went on a joint patrol there. Culture and Sports Minister Yoo In-chon, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Korean Sports Council President Lee Ki-heung, Korean Archery Association President Chung Eui-sun, and Yoo Seung Min Korea Table Tennis Association also attended the event.
At the Paris Olympics, the Korean team shined more than anyone else. It swept 13 gold medals, nine silver, and 10 bronze medals to finish eighth in the overall ranking. The 13 gold medals were Korea’s best-ever gold medals at the Olympics, following Beijing (7th, 13 gold, 11 silver, 11 bronze) in 2008 and London (2012 gold, 13 silver, 9 bronze, 9 bronze), with a total of 32 medals tied for the 2008 Beijing Games. It was one shy of the most medals (33) ever set at the 1988 Seoul Games.
In addition, it was the first time in eight years that Korea ranked within the top 10 in the medal rankings at the 2016 Summer Olympics since it ranked eighth (9 gold, 3 silver, 9 bronze) in Rio de Janeiro. Korea had fallen behind to 16th place (6 gold, 4 silver, 10 bronze) in Tokyo in 2021.
This achievement is all the more valuable because it overcame the assessment that it was the weakest. Initially, the KOC set its goal of winning five gold medals in this year’s event. The team failed to qualify for all ball games, including soccer and volleyball, resulting in the smallest number of athletes in 48 years since the 1976 Montreal Games. Korea had 144 athletes in 21 sports this year.
However, the “minority elite” Korean team was not swayed. The Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) failed to meet expectations by delivering medals from the beginning of the competition.
According to Yonhap News, President Yoon Suk Yeol said at the event, “The record of 32 medals and 8th place in the overall ranking is the highest ever, and there are many records set by our athletes. Representatively, the women’s team archery and the 10th consecutive Olympics will be recorded as an unprecedented history that no country can break.”
President Yoon said, “I was very happy to have you in this summer’s hot weather and tropical nights. Team Korea, way to go!”
She also did not forget about Ahn. After winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, Ahn criticized the Badminton Korea Association for poor support and injury management and unfair practices. The Badminton Korea Association called in Kim Hak-kyun, coach of the badminton team, Sung Ji-hyun, and coach Lee Kyung-won on the 16th to investigate, and Ahn, who did not respond to the association’s request for attendance, appeared at the event.
President Yoon Suk Yeol, who first greeted Ahn Se-young and had a short conversation with him at the venue, said, “We need to allow our young players to train and develop their skills in better conditions. We need to further develop the way we have produced good results and boldly innovate the old practices to create a free and fair training environment that fits the values, culture and consciousness of the young generation.”
“The achievements of the Olympics were achieved through the combination of athletes’ sweat and passion, systematic support and sports science. However, we cannot be satisfied with this,” President Yoon said. “The government will provide detailed support to our athletes so that they can take on new sports more boldly.”
President Yoon Suk Yeol continued, “Ahn showed a really cool and moving performance,” and nodded, “I think (winning) was possible because Ahn worked hard for the game and overcame many injuries, including knee injuries.”
During the dinner, President Yoon also gave names and encouraged weightlifter Park Joo-hyo, gymnastics Yeo Seo-jeong, breaking Kim Hong-yeol, high jump Woo Sang-hyuk, and swimming Hwang Seon-woo who failed to win any medals. “He touched the people as much as the medalists. Sports are really important to human life,” President Yoon Suk Yeol said. “I think there is nothing more important than sports in the curriculum of developing people. Sports remind us of peace and unity and what society is.”
In addition, President Yoon said, “It not only fosters unity, peace, cooperation, and community among the people in a country, but also fosters a sense of community through peace, unity, and cooperation between countries of all people around the world. We, which hosted the 1988 Olympics, are a country with a stake in the legacy (heritage) and we are very grateful for our athletes’ good protection and further development of Korea’s Olympic legacy in Paris through a wonderful game.” 스포츠토토
Finally, President Yoon Suk Yeol said, “Thanks to you, I was very happy and energized throughout the Paris Olympics,” adding, “I had a great time together. I am here because all of you will be grateful.”
Meanwhile, President Yoon awarded medals to 144 athletes and 90 leaders of the Paris Olympics. According to the president’s office, it is the first time in history that the president presented commemorative medals to all athletes and leaders after the Olympics.