BEIJING -- South Korean shooter Jin Jong Oh had planned to proposed with a gold medal in 2004. However, at the Athens Games, he grabbed a silver instead in men's 50-meter pistol.
Two years later, he vowed to present his bride a gold medal from the Asian Games, but the shooter even failed to touch any medal in the trip.
This time, the 29-year-old finally fulfilled his pledge, with bonus of a silver.
|
Jin Jong Oh of South Korea celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 50m pistol shooting competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 12, 2008. [Agencies]
|
The silver was seized on Saturday in men's 10-meter air pistol, while the gold medal he earned in 50-meter pistol after a difficult competition on Tuesday.
Although he said he was dissatisfied with his preliminary performance, he said he was lucky in the final.
"I am very happy to get this gold medal," he said. This was also the first Olympic gold medal South Korean shooters achieved since 1992.
To win the medal, the man with injury on his shoulders trained seven hours a day.
Jin was persuaded by his parents to start shooting when he was a tenth-grader. Despite a late start, the talented boy progressed rapidly.
The Athens Games was his Olympic debut, when he not only got a silver, but finished as fifth in 10-meter air pistol event.
A professional shooter for a telecom company, the baby-faced Jin spends half of his time each year training and competing outside home.
But his wife, who was an accordionist, said that "separation makes us treasure and love each other more".
This time, when Jin was competing, his wife, without a ticket to the shooting range, sat in a Korean restaurant outside and watched the competition via television.
Before the Games, the lady had agreed to delay their plan to have baby.
Now that Jin's mission is over, they may consider to carry out the plan.