Ahn Se-young (21, Samsung Life Insurance), who finished the Korean team's splendid finale with men's soccer and baseball at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. On the 7th, she beat Chen Yu-pei (25, China) 2-1 (21-18 17-21 21-8) in the women's singles final of badminton and won a valuable gold medal.
Above all, it was more valuable because it was a championship that overcame serious injuries during the game. Ahn Se-young fell down holding his right knee while being attacked by Chen Yu-pei with an 18-16 lead in the first set. Ahn Se-young, who looked painful throughout the treatment, won the first set but lost the second set and was in danger. It was such a sad scene that my mother, who was cheering in the stands, cried and shouted, "Se-young, just give up!"
Ahn, however, rose again like a third set miracle. Ahn Se-young, who even showed his unique iron wall defense, throwing himself to the point of doubting whether the injury was real, overwhelmed Cheon Yu-pei, who was tired of his opponent's lie-like revival.
After the game, Ahn Se-young said, "My knee made a 'tap' sound and I felt like it was out of place," and eventually, the tendon near the knee was cut off during the hospital examination and he received rehabilitation for two to five weeks. Despite this injury, Ahn overcame adversity with indomitable fighting spirit.
In particular, she stood tall as a true badminton queen by completely defeating the "natural enemy." Following the women's team event on the 1st, Ahn Se-young defeated Chen Yu-pei in the individual finals. Chen Yu-fei, a native of Hangzhou, lost two games only in his hometown alone.
Ahn Se-young has a deep relationship with Chen Yu-pei. At the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games five years ago, Ahn Se-young failed in the first round, and his opponent was Cheon Yu-pay at the time. Three years later, he also lost in the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics, showing an absolute inferiority of 1 win and 8 losses until last year.
Of course, Ahn Se-young fell behind Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) and He Bingjiao (China), who are five years older, with five wins and 10 losses and four losses, respectively, until last year. However, he was beaten by Chen Yu-pei in a big competition. Above all, Ahn Se-young struggled enough to lose seven consecutive games to Cheon Yu-pay, the longest.
However, there is a person who caused Ahn Se-young. His mother is Lee Hyun-hee (48). He consoled and encouraged his daughter, who was frustrated by Chen Yu-pay, with a warm heart and a positive mind, and eventually Ahn Se-young can overcome her natural enemy.
Lee, who watched his daughter's Asian Games match on the spot, looked back in an interview with CBS No Cut News, saying, "When Se-young lost seven consecutive times, I once said, 'Mom, why can't we really meet Cheonwi Pay when we keep meeting?'" "Of course, when Se-young became the national team when she was young, she couldn't play against those players (Cheon Yu-Pay, Yamaguchi, He Bing-Zhao) for the first time, but she had a hard time with Cheon Yu-Pay," he added. Ahn Se-young was the youngest player in the national team selection in December 2017, when he was a third grader in Gwangju, and the second middle school student after Lee Yong-dae (35, Yonex).
What was the word for a disappointed daughter. Lee asked, "When will Chen Yu-Pay and the world's No. 1 train like sparring?" and induced a change of thoughts, "There is no tree that doesn't go over 10 times, but when I meet Chen Yu-Pay like this, I think I give you a chance to train." He added, "Since it's a player we need to continue to meet in the future, I thought it would give us an opportunity to find a way, so let's go visit."
Did the mother's consolation give her healing. Ahn finally surpassed her natural enemy in July last year. After seven games and eight rounds, he won 2-0 in the singles final of the 2022 Malaysia Masters. Lee said, "Se-young really made it 8 out of 7 before she shot 10 times," adding, "After the victory, 'Se-young, I think that's why you're amazing." He praised me, saying, "Just because you decide, it doesn't work, but you found a way, covered your physical strength, and overcame yourself."
Since then, the relationship between natural enemies has been completely reversed. Ahn has beaten Chen Yu-pei seven times in nine matches this year. The opponent's record is still 8 wins and 10 losses, but it's only a matter of time before turning the tables. Ahn Se-young is reaching her peak in physical strength and skills, and Cheon Yu-pay is on the decline starting from the Tokyo Olympics.
Now, he is gradually turning from inferior to dominant with other players. Ahn Se-young made up for Yamaguchi with 8 wins and 12 losses this year, leading Yamaguchi with 3 wins and 2 losses, and Heo Bingjao became 6 wins and 4 losses, including the semifinals of the tournament.
Lee said, "I think I've come to realize that I have to make up my mind, not my opponent," and pointed out, "I think I've become big-hearted. He then smiled happily, saying, "It's not about who to beat, but I think I've realized how to solve the game with what kind of heart, so I think I'm going to trust and see it now."
Ahn Se-young is now ranked as a Korean badminton legend of badminton. This year, she continued the path of women's singles legend Bang Soo-hyun or broke through the path that even Bang Soo-hyun could not walk. She won the All-English Open for the first time in 27 years since Soo-hyun, became the world No. 1 in the women's singles, won the Asian Games singles gold medal for the first time in 29 years, and achieved two gold medals in the team event.
In particular, he became the first Korean athlete to win a gold medal in singles at the World Championships (individual) held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Lee said, "I felt that this is why I became a patriot because the national flag went up at the award ceremony and the East Sea and Mt. Baekdu came out," adding, "I was moved to think that I became a real world player."
In fact, Ahn Se-young's legend began with his parents. My father Ahn Jung-hyun (54) said, "I was originally going to exercise (boxing, soft tennis) so I wasn't going to let my children do it," adding, "But while I was playing badminton with my wife, I naturally came into contact with the racket," and added, "I took the elite coach who taught me to play when I went to the club in the evening, so I started in earnest because he said, 'It's okay to exercise.'"
Ahn competed in the Hiroshima Asian Games as a member of the national boxing team in 1994, but failed to win a medal. Ahn looked happy, saying, "My daughter relieved my father's regret for the first time in 29 years." "Se-young has rarely been home this year, but when I say 'Ahn Se-young' on the court, he shakes his hand once, and I'm satisfied with that," he said with a big smile.
In fact, the couple were very surprised by their daughter's injury at the time of the final. After the game, Lee, who said, "I cried because I was worried," his eyes were still red. "At the time, my parents were surprised and almost collapsed," said an official from Ahn Se-young's team Samsung Life Insurance, who was cheering together. "They were originally loud supporters, but they didn't do well after the injury."
However, her daughter overcame it with courage and left a deep footprint in the history of Korean badminton. The couple said, "I'm really proud and pleased that Se-young overcame it really well and won the gold medal." The legend of Korean badminton begins now. 안전놀이터