Roh Min-sang is arguably the most successful swimming coach in the country, but his office in a remote rehabilitation center for the disabled in Seoul makes one wonder what the meaning of “success” is.

Roh’s office is located on the fourth floor of the clinic center. There is no sign of his office in the building, but on a small door hangs a tiny doorplate saying “Roh Min Sang Swimming Research Institute.” Inside, it’s more or less a room equipped with minimal furniture: a desk and a set of chairs.

“I had a private office. But I couldn’t pay the rent ― a monthly payment of 1.4 million won,” said Roh.

“It’s the only place I could fit in. They allowed me to stay for free,” said Roh as he took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

But how is that he cannot pay the rent? He has been the head coach of the national swimming team for the past five years. And not just a coach, almost everyone here knows he is the man who coached swimming star Park Tae-hwan. 

He declined to say what his salary was, as he put another pack of cigarettes on the table. It is said that he is paid around 2.5 million won from the Korea Swimming Federation.

Roh said he smokes three packs a day and sometimes even more. Asked whether he drinks alcohol too, he said: “I stopped it for the Beijing Olympics. Then, I started again.”

After a short silence, the coach suddenly says that he has decided to quit his post as the chief of the national swimming team.

It was certainly not an expected comment, considering the fact that he has just had a successful Asian Games campaign, helping Park to win three gold medals.

“I’ve got to discuss it with the federation, but I think I am done with this job,” he said, lighting another cigarette.

“It’s not all about money. I had a passion, which carried me on to do this job, but I don’t have it anymore,” he said.

The 54-year-old coach added that he had to give up his role because of serious heath issues that have grown worse.

“My body is seriously wasting away.” he said, noting that it is largely due to his heavy drinking and smoking.

“This is a more stressful job than you can imagine, and I can’t stand it without these ― smoking and drinking. So I want to quit,” said Roh with a big sigh. 

There have been many ups and downs during his coaching career, but they are all connected with Park Tae-hwan. Roh first met Park 13 years ago. The swimming star was an 8-year-old boy, and Roh was then a little-known coach at a small swimming club.

“He was very shy. He gave me a bottle of energy drink without speaking,” Roh recalled their very first meeting, with a big smile on his face.

Park was an ordinary kid, but he had potential to grow, said the coach. So, Roh came up with a long-term plan for him. Instead of teaching him techniques for competitions, Roh focused on building Park’s stamina. And it worked.

By the age of 10, the quiet boy slowly started to shine in the pool, sweeping all the junior competitions. And in 2004, Park made his Olympic debut.

With Park’s continuing success, Roh, who himself never wore the national team uniform, became the head coach of the team in 2006. And in that year, the pair garnered three gold medals at the Doha Asian Games.

Success and fame came to Park. However, from then on, the two started to drift apart. After the Asiad, Park found a personal sponsor and left his old coach.

But, in early 2008, after parting with his sponsor, the swimming champion returned to the national team and rejoined Roh for his second Olympics.

“We promised to forget the past and work hard again, and that’s when he gave me the thing,” said Roh, pointing at a T-shirt hanging on the wall.

“Thanks coach, I’ll make sure to show you good result at the Olympics,” was written on the T-shirt, which Park wore in training for the 2008 summer Olympics.

And he did. Park, dubbed “Marine boy,” won the gold medal in the 400 meters freestyle.

But that was it. After returning from Beijing, Park signed a multi-billion sponsorship deal with SK Telecom, and left the national team again.

Although the two were teamed up for the 2010 Asian Games, their relationship was nothing like before, according to Roh.

“Letters, T-shirts and those old days are gone,” said Roh. He admitted that he has no more direct contact with Park. Even at training, he has to talk with Park’s personal manager.

“I understand him. His sponsor offers him a fortune, and he has a personal trainer, doctor and manager and everything. Why would he train with me?”

“But I think it would have been better for him to have someone around, who can give genuine advice,” he added.

“I’m done with my job. I don’t have any regrets nor ambition,” added the gaunt looking coach. But when asked about his next plan, the coach took his time before saying, “I’ll find another Park Tae-hwan,”

“I want to teach young potential athletes,” he said, adding that before that happens he first needs some time-off to take care of his health.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldcorp.com)