[Anchor]
Kang Jun-i, an 18-year-old athlete who won South Korea's first-ever Asian Games gold medal in skateboarding, has expressed his ambition to showcase his best performance at the Los Angeles Olympics two years from now. He says that from now on, he will shout "Dad!" alongside "Mom!"
Reporter Seo Dae-won has the story.
[Reporter]
Looking back, Kang Jun-i, who burst into tears while repeatedly calling out for his mother the moment his gold medal was confirmed, feels a little sorry for his father.
[Kang Jun-i / Asian Games Skateboarding Gold Medalist: Since only my mother was at the venue and I could see her, I shouted 'Mom.' But from now on, I will try to shout both of their names together like 'Mom! Dad!']
Having pulled off a dramatic comeback by successfully landing a high-difficulty trick in his final attempt after overcoming two failures, Kang plans to unveil a new, secret technique at the LA Olympics two years from now.
[Kang Jun-i / Asian Games Skateboarding Gold Medalist: (The new technology) is already figured out in my head. My biggest goal is to take those techniques to the Olympics, succeed in landing them, and show them to many people.]
[Kang Jun-i (2019 SBS 'Gifted Children'): I am Kang Jun-i, and I want to become the world's number one skater.]
Introduced as a "skateboard prodigy" on the SBS program 'Gifted Children' 7 years ago, Kang welcomed the news that the show will resume airing starting this December, and encouraged younger athletes who are nurturing their dreams just like he used to.
[Kang Jun-i / Asian Games Skateboarding Gold Medalist: I want to tell them that if they keep working hard as they normally do and keep doing well without worrying about the results, good outcomes will eventually come someday.]
Kang is now aiming to write another new history by chasing the first-ever championship by a South Korean athlete at the World Championships taking place this month.
[Kang Jun-i / Asian Games Skateboarding Gold Medalist: I will always work hard to make South Korean skateboarding known to more countries and become a 'legendary athlete,' and I hope everyone will keep watching over me until then.]
(Video by Yoo Dong-hyuk, Video Editing by Lee Jae-sung, Design by Hwang Se-yeon)
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