Men’s 58kg champion Zhang Jun’s ‘golden kick’ at the Asian Games
“A good start will give my teammates confidence”
“Unlike the ‘golden’ Tokyo Olympics, I have enough practice and will regain my country’s pride”

Zhang Jun

Is competing in the men’s 58kg category, where the first gold medal will be decided in the taekwondo

competition at the Hangzhou Asian Games. 토토사이트 He is determined to get off to a good start and inspire

confidence in his taekwondo teammates. Jang is pictured training at the Jincheon Athletes’ Village in North Chungcheong Province on March 24.

“Stand up again. Proud Taekwondo warrior.

That’s what the banner reads on the Pilsung Hall at the Jincheon Athletic Center in North Chungcheong

Province, where national athletes train. The national taekwondo team is making its final preparations for

the Hangzhou Asian Games. South Korea’s taekwondo ended the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with a “no gold”

medal, crushing the pride of the Joseon Dynasty. Jang Joon (23-KOGAS), who was considered the favorite

to win the men’s 58 kg category, lost in the semifinals and settled for bronze. “I will definitely bring home

a gold medal at this Asian Games,” Jang said, “and if I get off to a good start, my teammates will feel

confident.” Zhang Jun is competing in the men’s 58kg category, which is the first weight class to be

awarded a gold medal in the taekwondo competition at the Hangzhou Asian Games. The final for this weight class will be held on the 25th at 3pm.

Jang has been on a roll on the international stage since May 2018, when he won the Asian

Championships. In August of that year, 스포츠토토 he won the World Grand Prix, becoming the youngest Korean

athlete (18 years and three months old at the time) to win the event. In November, he took first place at

the World Grand Prix Final. The World Grand Prix Final is a “king of the hill” competition where only the

top 16 ranked athletes in each weight class compete. The following year, in May 2019, he won gold at the

World Championships and became the world No. 1 in the 58kg category in October. He also won the

2019 WTF World Taekwondo Athlete of the Year award. In Asia, he has no one to compete with.

Zhang Jun

Finished first at both the Asian Games trials last year and this year. The national trials were held again this

year after the Hangzhou Asian Games were postponed by a year due to the spread of the novel

coronavirus (COVID-19) in China. Zhang Jun lost to then world No. 1 Kim Tae-hoon, 29, at the 2018 Asian

Games in Jakarta-Palembang, where he was unable to wear the Korean flag. At the time, the two were

tied 12-12 after overtime, but Jang missed out on a ticket to Jakarta due to a higher deduction.

“I had already experienced the postponement of the Games at the Tokyo Olympics,” said Zhang Jun.

“Unlike the Tokyo Olympics, I had competed in many tournaments over the past year and gained enough

practical experience, analyzed my opponents, and identified areas for improvement.” When the Tokyo

Olympics were postponed by a year, most international competitions were canceled due to the COVID-

19 pandemic. “I trained hard back then, but I didn’t have much practical experience due to the pandemic,” Zhang said.

Zhang Jun is aiming for a “career grand slam” at next year’s Paris Olympics after winning the Hangzhou

Asian Games. The career grand slam is winning the Asian Championships, the Asian Games, the World

Championships, and the Olympics. Former International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Moon Dae-

sung is the only Korean taekwondo athlete to have achieved this. “Having the Olympics right after the

Asian Games is an opportunity for me,” Jang said, “and I will take that confidence and momentum from

my gold medal in Hangzhou and carry it into next year’s Games in Paris.” Zhang will travel to Hangzhou

for the final on Feb. 22, one day before the Asian Games open. 스포츠토토맨