'Original filial piety event'Boccia's prowess. Men's and women's individual competition, Jeong Ho-won, Jeong Seong-jun, Jeong So-young, to the final, secured three 銀

Sep 01, 2024

Jung So-young of the South Korean boccia team carefully throws a blue ball in the semifinals of the women's singles (BC2) at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in Paris, France, on the afternoon of the 1st (Korea time). Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Boccia, Korea's 'original filial piety event for the Paralympics,' raised expectations for a multi-gold medal at the Paris Paralympics in 2024. The possibility of achieving the grand goal of the Paralympic Games' 10th consecutive gold medal has increased.

South Korea's Boccia has been expected to win a multi-gold medal with overwhelming skills in the individual competition at the Paris Paralympics.

In the men's and women's individual competitions, three 'Jeong's trio', including Jung Ho-won (38, Gangwon-do Provincial Sports Council for the Disabled, men's BC3), Jung Sung-joon (46, Gyeonggi-do Provincial Sports Federation for the Disabled, men's BC1), and Jung So-young (36, Chungcheongnam-do Provincial Sports Federation for the Disabled, women's BC2), succeeded in advancing to the final. At least three silver medals have been secured. In some cases, it is worth expecting to win 'multi gold medal'.

They won the semi-finals of the Boccia men's and women's individual competitions at the Paris Paralympic Games held at Sud Paris Arena 1 in the afternoon of the 1st (Korea time). First of all, it was Jeong So-young who sounded the winning news. In the semi-finals of the women's individual (BC2 Grade) match, they won the match again 3-2 after winning points with a decisive pitch in the final four ends against England's Clare Taggart.

Jeong So-young had a terrible run with three consecutive wins in the preliminary round (two matches), quarterfinals and semifinals. Christina Goncalves (Portugal) will play in the final match on the morning of the 2nd. On this day, Jung So-young caught the blue ball and scored the first run with an accurate pitch from the first end. In the second end, Taggart took two points as he stuck the red ball next to the target. a 1-2 turnaround. Jeong So-young said "I'm so nervous and I think it's good. I was very nervous at the thought of going to the final."

The crisis was the third end. Jung So-young's pitch did not move as he wanted in a situation where he had to tie the game. Jeong So-young "I wanted to get the opponent's ball out, but it didn't work out. I really thought I lost." However, Jung So-young, who succeeded in pushing the opponent's ball away at the next opportunity, scored one point and balanced it 2-2.

It's settled at the fourth end. It was the moment when Jung So-young's control shone. Taggart finished the sixth pitch. It was closer to the target. Jung So-young has two balls left. He threw the ball at the target about 2.5 meters away. Jung So-young's blue ball did not hit Taggart's red ball, but was stuck next to the target of 'Get on and over'. It was a stunt created by sophisticated force control. In the end, this is the end of the game. Jung So-young, who had already created a scoring situation, did not have to throw the last ball. Jung So-young roared and rejoiced as if the stadium was leaving.

Jung So-young of the Korean Boccia national team cheers with joy after winning the semifinals of the Boccia Women's Singles (BC2) at the 2024 Paris Paralympics at Sud Paris Arreni 1 in Paris, France on the afternoon of the 1st (Korea time). Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Jeong So-young, who won the individual bronze medal at the 2012 London Games, has since suffered a long slump. Although he participated in the 2016 Rio Games and the 2020 Tokyo Games, he did not win any medals. However, he was able to achieve his best ever performance at his fourth Paralympic Games. Chung So-young said, `The Paralympics are unpredictable because all the best athletes in the world come out. I'll do my best."

Jeong So-young (right) of the Korean Boccia national team is responding to the cheers of the fans by leaving with Kang Hyo-soon after winning the semifinals of the Boccia Women's Singles (BC2) at the 2024 Paris Paralympics at Sud Paris Arreni 1 in the afternoon of the 1st (Korea time). Presented by the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

Did Chung So-young's winning energy continue. In the men's individual semifinals, Jung Sung-joon and Jung Ho-won also beat their opponents one after another to reach the final, boasting of joy.

Jung Sung-joon made a miraculous 4-3 come-from-behind victory over England's David Smith in the semifinals. Even after the victory was confirmed, he was thrilled, saying, "Wow, this day is coming for me.' It was a difficult game. In the first end, Smith scored as many as three points. In Boccia, where there are many one-point games, the three-point difference is quite difficult to reverse.

Courtesy of the Korean Sports Council for the Disabled

However, Jung Sung-joon calmly followed up one by one. He added one point each at the 2nd and 3rd ends to make it 2-3 and then went into the last 4th end. You needed more than two points to win. Here, Jung Sung-joon's strategy shone. Smith couldn't get the second pitch on the target, so he had to keep pitching. If Boccia puts the ball closer to the target, he gives the opponent the right to attack. But Smith has run out of the ball here.

Jung Sung-joon has as many as five balls left. I didn't miss this chance. He carefully threw the ball around the target and aimed for multi-point acquisition. In the end, Jung Sung-joon won two points and decided to come from behind. Jung Sung-jun "I really want to win a gold medal. Moon Kwang-ho, head coach of the Gyeonggi-do Boccia Federation for the Disabled, is a benefactor to me, and I really want to hang the gold medal around the head coach's neck." Jung Sung-joon will compete with John Rong of Hong Kong at 6:40 p.m. on the 2nd.

Finally, Jung Ho-won also won the semifinals. Jung Ho-won, who won three Paralympic gold medals, including the 2008 Beijing Games Fair (BC3), the 2016 Rio Games Individual Games (BC3), and the 2020 Tokyo Games Fair (BC3), beat Damian Iskrtsky of Poland 6-1. In the second end with a 1-0 lead, he scored four points at once and finished the game easily. Jung Ho-won will play a gold medal match against Australia's Daniel Mitchell early on the 3rd.

Meanwhile, Kang Sun-hee of the women's individual event (BC3) lost to Hong Kong's K-Haw U.N. 1-4 in the semifinals to seek a medal in the bronze medal match.

wman@sportschosun.com