4 consecutive 亞game wins-most gold medals… Goo Bon-gil strikes ‘2 new records’
“This kind of opportunity is not given to anyone, so I will do my best to achieve the record.”
Koo Bon-gil (34), a national fencing player, challenges two records that will remain in Korean sports history at the Hangzhou Asian Games, which will open on the 23rd of next month. Since the 2010 Guangzhou Games, Koo Bon-gil has participated in the Asian Games, winning three consecutive gold medals in the men’s individual saber event and two consecutive times in the team event.
If Gu Bon-gil wins the individual and team events in Hangzhou, he will become the Korean player who won the most gold medals (seven) in the summer Asian Games. So far, archery Yang Chang-hoon (53) and others have won six gold medals, which is the record. In addition, if he wins the gold medal in the individual event, he will be the first Korean player to win four consecutive Asian Games individual championships in all events.
On the 24th, Koo Bon-gil, who met with reporters at the Jincheon National Training Center in Chungcheongbuk-do, said, “I think that it will be my last dream and if I overcome it with mental strength, my dream will come true. He expressed his determination, saying, “It is very burdensome to be the first Korean player, but I will definitely achieve it.”
It was the first time for Koo Bon-gil to win three consecutive individual gold medals in fencing at the Asian Games in men’s and women’s divisions and detailed events (saber, epee, foil). Gu Bon-gil’s biggest rival in this tournament is Oh Sang-wook (27), a junior in the national team whom he faced in the Jakarta-Palembang final five years ago. Koo Bon-gil said, “There is a high possibility that I will meet Sang-wook in the final this time, but I think I will be more comfortable than then. If you put your mind down a little more, you will get good grades,” he said, “I think the Japanese and Iranian players have improved a lot, so I think we have to watch.”스포츠토토
The Korean men’s saber team won gold medals in the team event at the 2012 London Olympics and 2021 Tokyo Olympics as well as the last two Asian Games. Koo Bon-gil emphasized, “Korean fencing is strong in individual competitions, but it is stronger in team competitions because communication and teamwork are so good.”
He said, “Since Korean fencing is good, I have been able to understand (to the opponent) a lot. We are all working hard so that we can rank first in the Asian Games category for the fourth consecutive time through video analysis and physical training.” At the same time, Koo Bon-gil said, “Anyway, since fencing is a sport that is heavily influenced by referee decisions, there must be a strong territorial attitude towards China. I am giving advice to juniors so that they can create more perfect movements through training.”
Koo Bon-gil, who married in October 2019, became a father when his son, Woo Joo-gun, was born in March this year. He gave it the name Woojoo, which means “Daddy conquered the world, so the son must become a greater man than his father.” Bongil Koo said, “I was solo when I first participated in the Asian Games, but now I have a family. He seems to have a change of heart to become a proud husband and dad.” “Honestly, I don’t know where I put my medals right now,” he laughed and said, “When I retire, I want to collect gold medals from major competitions and put them on display so my son can see them.”