Fresh off her historic wins at an international event last weekend, South Korean rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae said Monday she has become more confident ahead of the Asian Games to be held on her home soil next year.
Son returned home from the Asian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where she won the individual all-around final and swept up gold medals in hoop and clubs.
She is the first South Korean rhythmic gymnast to win gold at any international event.
Speaking to reporters at Incheon International Airport, Son, 19, said those wins were a major boost to her confidence.
“I heard our national anthem for the first time at an international competition,” Son said. “I was really happy and I am determined to work even harder from now on.”
Son was already looking ahead to the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, west of Seoul. At the previous Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, Son won the bronze medal in the all-around event. She said she is aiming higher this time.
“Winning the all-around gold before the Asian Games has given me confidence and motivation,” Son said. “My goal is to win a gold medal in every event that I enter.”
The three gold medals in Tashkent represent a culmination of a meteoric rise for the teenager.
At the London Olympics last year, Son finished fifth in the all-around event, only 0.225 point shy of the bronze.
She became the first South Korean to even qualify for the all-around final at the Olympics.
Europe remains the dominant power in rhythmic gymnastics, but Son said Asians have been making strides. “Korea, China and Japan are now leading the way for rhythmic gymnastics in Asia,” she said. “It’s great to see this development, and it’s also a source of motivation.” (Yonhap News)
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