“Everywhere I went, I was introduced as ‘Lee Dae-hoon, three-time Asian Games champion’.”
Lee Dae-hoon, 31, is a legend in taekwondo history for becoming the first athlete to win three consecutive Asian Games.
He retired from the sport in 2021, and two years after announcing his retirement, he returned to the sport as a coach. His mission is to train the next generation. He accompanied the national team to the World Championships in May to fulfill his ‘national team coaching duties’ and is currently serving as a taekwondo coach for the Daejeon Metropolitan Government.
‘Sporting News’ interviewed Lee Dae-hoon, who is currently serving as a taekwondo coach for the Daejeon Metropolitan Government, in Daejeon on the 7th.
When asked about the latest developments, Lee said, “I was preparing for various things, such as a degree and becoming an athlete commissioner, and now I’m finished. I’ve been coaching the Daejeon Metropolitan Government Taekwondo team and broadcasting soccer entertainment,” he said.
“When I was a player, I had the mindset of ‘I just need to show my skills’ on the field because I was in good physical condition and worked hard, but now as a coach, I have to lead the players to do well, not just me, so I think that’s the most different part. I’m trying to help them get into the best condition, but only they know if it’s working, so it’s a bit difficult.”
The Hangzhou AG 2022 kicks off on March 23 in China. For Lee, the highlight of his career was winning three consecutive AG titles.
“I feel like I’ve had such a big career that everywhere I go, I’m introduced as ‘Dae-hoon Lee, the three-time AG champion’. It’s meaningful to me because it was the first time I became a national team member and won a gold medal at the AG. Now I’m in a position to support my juniors, and I feel like I want them to do better at the AG without me.”
Lee has won gold medals at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, 2014 Incheon Asian Games in the men’s -63kg category, and 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games in the -68kg category.
When asked what his most memorable moment was during his three consecutive AG titles, Lee recalled ‘three memories’.
“First of all, I competed in the AG final when I was a senior in high school. The year before, I lost to a Thai player at the Asian Championships in the junior tournament, so I was more nervous for the AG final, but I overcame the 10-9 score difference and won,” he recalled.
“In my second AG final, I had a big lead, so I had some time to spare, so I did a nice kick and then a ‘back kick’. That’s what I remember the most to this day. In my last AG competition, I moved up a weight class, so I came from behind to win, and my opponent, an Iranian athlete, was so disappointed that he was crying. That’s what I remember most about coming from behind to win. I think those three scenes are the most memorable,” he smiles.
When asked by a reporter if he had any regrets about losing the AG four times in a row, Lee laughed and said, “That’s ah, that’s ah, that’s ah, that’s ah… If I did it now, I would go to a certain level of the tournament, but I don’t think I would win it.” He laughed.
He also spared no praise for Jin Ho-joon (21), who has been dubbed the “post-Lee Dae-hoon.
“He’s a player whose biggest strength is his ‘boldness,’ the ability to take things in his own style without being intimidated. If you just keep using the boldness you have in a game with a one or two-point lead, you can win a lot of points, but I think you’re saving your ability a little bit, and I think that’s a pity, and if you don’t show that boldness only to certain players, but show it to all players equally, I think you’re a player who can do better than me.”토토사이트
Finally, Lee had a “heartfelt message” for the younger members of the AG team.
“I hope that you can control your physical condition during the remaining period until the start of the tournament, so that you can achieve all your goals and achievements and return home to be congratulated again. I am cheering for all the male and female athletes, so I hope that you can achieve good results. I will do a lot of promotion to many people so that they can cheer for Korea Taekwondo, and I will do a lot of work so that Korea Taekwondo can achieve good results.”