Maxim for Korean wrestlers, ‘Those who seek death shall live’

Korean wrestlers suffered unpleasant ‘par terre’ last September. Wrestling was at the risk to be stripped of its status as official Olympic event. Fortunately they avoided the worst case but it was a grave risk that may shake the team to its very foundation. Still, it is too early to say that the Renaissance of Korean wrestling has come again. It is especially true when thinking about ‘no gold’ disaster at Guangzhou Asian Games in 2010. This is why Kim Hyun-woo (25, Samsung Life Insurance), a leading player in Korean wrestling, mentioned Admiral Lee Soon-shin’s maxim ‘Those who seek death shall live.’

Kim, a champion of the Greco-Roman style at the 60kg weight class in 2012 London Olympics, expressed his commitment at the Media Day held at the Korean National Training Center on Sep. 11. “I have been focused and practiced more than ever, including the previous Olympics and the World Championship. I will win a gold with commitment that ‘those who seek death shall live.’”

As Kim won gold medals at the World Championship last year and Asia Championship this year, he could achieve a grand slam if he wins a gold in Incheon Asian Games. Kim will compete in the 75kg weight class this time.

Greco-Roman style wrestlers’ coach Ahn Han-bong said, “Kim has endured back-breaking training for 730 days and exerted excruciating efforts to come here. Not just winning several gold medals, the Korean National Wrestling Team will sweep the field. We will show the public that wrestling is not dead yet.”

Free-style coach Park Jang-sun, who won a gold with Coach Ahn at 1992 Barcelona Olympics, said, “Free style team will reap fruitful results of painstaking efforts in the past.” In the free-style, Yoon Jun-sik (23, Samsung Life Insurance) and Lee Seung-cheol (26, Military Sports Team) are medal hopefuls. Lee renewed his commitment saying, “I think about the glorious moment when Korean national anthem is played in the sky of Incheon.”