'Missed Gold Medal by 1mm' Boccia Mixed Fair Jung Ho-won and Kang Sun-hee Group Win 銀 by Hong Kong

Sep 06, 2024

Jung Ho-won carefully looks at the direction of the ball. Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

The direction of the gold and silver medals was decided by a sheet of paper, literally millimeters.

Jung Ho-won (38, Gangwon Provincial Sports Council for the Disabled) and Kang Sun-hee (47, KEPCO KPS), who competed in the mixed pair at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games Bochi, lost the final at South Paris Arena 1 in Paris, France, early on the 6th (Korea time). Hong Kong's Howen Kei - Zetakwa Zhao lost to Hong Kong's four-end combined score 5-3 (0-3 3-200-10-1). As a result, Jung Ho-won, who was aiming for two gold medals following the men's individual competition, ended the competition with 1 gold and 1 silver.

He failed to overcome the loss caused by a slight difference in the third end.

Jung Ho-won and Kang Sun-hee played a "Yong Ho Sang-bak" with Hong Kong Cho in the final. Jung Ho-won, who won the gold medal in the Boccia men's individual event, and Kang Sun-hee, the women's individual bronze medalist, lost a lot of points in the first end. Hong Kong's last six pitches went in superbly. By hitting Korea's blue ball, which was close to the target ball, he created a picture in which three red balls were placed around the target ball. He scored three points all at once.

In the second end, South Korea took revenge. Hong Kong kept the fifth and sixth pitches close to the target. Korea has two balls to spare. Korea's strategy shone here. Jung Ho-won first targeted the target with the fifth pitch and sent it near two blue balls in South Korea that had been thrown in advance. Kang Sun-hee then passed the last six pitches through our balls and set them up next to the target. In an instant, Korea's three blue balls surrounded the target, completing the three-point placement.

Kang Sun-hee is adjusting the direction of the gutter. Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

South Korea, which turned the game to square one with 3-3 with outstanding strategy and accurate ball control, sought to turn the game around in the third end. However, Hong Kong's skills were also not easy. Pitching continued to preoccupy each other's advantageous positions. Hong Kong hit the target with the last six pitches next to the red ball. South Korea also set up the last six pitches by the target.

It was difficult to determine which ball was closer to the tube. The referee took out a measuring tool. First, a small flashlight was taken out to check the difference between the target sphere and the color ball gap space. A slight difference was revealed. Then he took out another measuring tool that looked like a pocket knife. A thin metal plate-shaped tool was unfolded and slowly pushed between the target and the color ball of both teams. The metal plate passed between South Korea's blue ball and the target, but not between the target and Hong Kong's red ball. This means that the red ball is completely attached to the target. It can be seen as a difference of almost 1mm. However, the difference eventually became the turning point between the gold and silver medals.

Chased 3-4, South Korea sought to tie or turn the tables in the fourth end. The game didn't go very well. Still, Kang Sun-hee rolls two to four pitches in a row to surround the target ball. However, Hong Kong hit the target directly with the second ball, neutralizing the wall built by Kang Sun-hee. He then pushed his ball to the third pitch and set it up next to the target. It has become the turn of Korea. Jung Ho-won tried to create a scoring position with two remaining balls. But Hong Kong's red cheeks were a bit closer. Hong Kong, whose victory was confirmed, cheered by returning the two remaining balls to the referee.

wman@sportschosun.com