'It's my first time. 'It's okay. We have the main event left.' The youngest national team member Kang Jung-eun failed to make the Paralympic butterfly final for the first time

Aug 29, 2024

Kang Jung-eun is changing her swimming cap for the women's 100m butterfly (grade S14) qualifying round at the 2024 Paris Paralympics at La Defense Arena in Paris, France, on the afternoon of the 29th (Korea time). Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

'It's okay to fail since it's your first time'

Kang Jeong-eun (24, Dalseo-gu Office in Daegu), who caused a stir 10 years ago when she was selected as the 'youngest national team member' in the history of swimming for the disabled in Korea, received the result of failing to advance to the final round of butterfly on the third Paralympic stage. However, Kang Jeong-eun's expression was only bright. This is because butterfly was not the main event.

Just because she won the right to participate in the Paralympics with an event that is not her main event, Kang Jeong-eun has already achieved half the success.

Kang Jung-eun is making a strong start in the women's 100m butterfly (S14) qualifying round for the 2024 Paris Paralympics at La Defense Arena in Paris, France, on the afternoon of the 29th (Korea time). Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Kang Jeong-eun competed in the 100m preliminary round of the swimming women's butterfly (S14 grade) held at La Defense Arena in Paris on the afternoon of the 29th (Korea time) and recorded 1:11.60. He ranked 12th out of a total of 16 players. He failed to make it to the finals as he failed to make it to the top eight in the preliminary round. However, Kang Jeong-eun did not lose her bright expression in the mixed zone after the game. This is because butterfly was not the main event.

Kang Jeong-eun was selected as a member of the national team in 2014 when she was 14 years old and won two gold medals at the 2014 Incheon Asian Para Games. She was also the youngest gold medalist in the competition. Since then, he has grown into a bridgehead for Korean Paralympic swimming and participated in the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games in turn. The Paris Paralympics is Kang's third Paralympic Games.

Kang Jung-eun is cutting the current with all her might in the 100m preliminary round for the women's swimming (grade S14) at the 2024 Paris Paralympics at La Defense Arena in Paris, France, on the afternoon of the 29th (Korea time). Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

It is a competition with a more special meaning. Kang Jeong-eun, who had previously competed in Paralympics only in backstroke, her main event, showed off her amazing ability to compete in the butterfly ahead of the Paris Paralympics. In the end, this day was Kang Jeong-eun's first Paralympic butterfly challenge. Although he failed to go to the final, it means a lot that he went to the Paralympics in a new event.

Therefore, Kang Jeong-eun, who played in the mixed zone after the game, was not discouraged. "It was very meaningful because it was my first time at the Paralympics with a butterfly," he said. "The last Tokyo Paralympics was a spectator-free event, but today it was a different experience because we played in front of a large crowd."

Kang Jung-eun shows her mental management card with a bright expression after finishing the 100m qualifying round for the women's swimming (S14 grade) at the 2024 Paris Paralympics at La Defense Arena in Paris, France on the afternoon of the 29th (Korea time). Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Kang Jeong-eun then added, `I'm sorry I couldn't show you my skills because I had a cold a few days ago, but I have no regrets.' `I will definitely perform well in the backstroke, which is the main event.' In terms of mental management, he then held up two cards delivered by the Korea Sports Science Institute. 'I'm Kang Jeongeun!' 'It's okay, let's trust me' was written. Kang Jeong-eun is relaxing by watching this text before the game. It is expected that Kang Jeong-eun, who firmly believes in herself, will show her true value in backstroke, this main event.

wman@sportschosun.com