Kim Won-ho wants to be better than his mum
Mark this name - Kim Won-ho - who made his international debut in the on-going SCG Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Bangkok - ready to move up the ranks and be better than his mother Gil Young-ah - an Olympics winner of a gold, silver and bronze medals in the 90s.
Young-ah started with a bronze medal in the women's doubles with Shim Eun-jung at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. Four years later she struck gold in the mixed doubles with Kim Dong-moon at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. There was more to come in Atlanta when she also won the silver in the women's doubles with Jang Hye-ock.
And there is no other better motivator than Young-ah for her 17-year-old son who who has been hailed as a potential Olympic winner. Won-ho draws inspiration from his famous mother who is currently a coach with the Samsung Electronics badminton team in Korea.
"I want to be better than my mother," said Won-ho after he and partner Lee Yu-rim marched into the mixed doubles final at the CPB Badminton and Sports Science Training Center on Saturday.
The unseeded Korean pair defeated Indonesian third seeds Rinov Rivaldy-Apriani Rahayu 21-17, 22-20 in a 42-minute match.
Korea coach Kim Ji-hyun was all smiles as she saw her charges make the final in their debut in the Badminton Asia Junior Championships - a positive sign that Korea will be a team to watch in this year's world junior championships in Spain in November.
"He (Won-ho) (right of picture) is part of the Korean junior team. He is being groomed for the world meet. There is lot of badminton potential in him. The fact that he wants to do better than his mum is enough to speak of his desire to go far in his badminton career," said Ji-hyun.
As for Won-ho, he said: "The Asian junior championships is very tough and competitive. To reach the final in my debut gives you the joy and happiness with a strong message that more hard-work is in store.
"My mother has been my inspiration. She is a stickler for discipline but she is also my role model. I am proud to have a mother who has won Olympic medals. I want to be like her...but deep in my heart I want to be better than her in achievements."
In the Asian meet mixed doubles final Won-ho-Yu-rim face favourites and top seeds He Jiting-Du Yue of China. The Chinese defeated compatrioys Zhou Haodong-Hu Yuxiang 21-14, 21-12 in their semi-final match in 23 minutes.
Won-ho also played in the men's doubles with Kang Min-hyuk but could reach the quarter-finals where they lost China's He Jiting-Tan Qiang, the top seeds, 21-18, 21-11.
Won-ho also featured in the mixed team event where Korea once again lost to China in the final for the fourth year running.
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