Patricia: Welcome once again to an episode of PE Sports Commentary!
Eva: Today we are excited to bring to you “Gymnastics Fairy” Yeon-jae Son. Welcome to the show!
Son: Thank you for having me.
Patricia: First of all, congratulations on your gold medal at the 2014 Incheon Asian games, with a score of 71.699. I believe it’s the first gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics that South Korea has ever received!
Son: Yes. I’m immensely grateful for everyone who helped make this possible. The honor personally means a lot because it’s my first individual medal in a major competition.
Eva: Your performance received the highest number of views from the Korean public among the Asian Game matches. How do you feel about being one of Korea’s most beloved athletes?
Son: Rhythmic gymnastics isn’t a popular sport in Korea, so being able to represent and draw attention to it is an amazing opportunity for me.
Patricia: I’m sure preparing for the competition was very tiring. What troubled you the most?
Son: Definitely the pressure. People posted hateful comments online, saying that I was promoted over other athletes who earned gold medals because of my appearance. Others were upset that I was busy doing non-athletic activities. It was rough, but bearing the burden is my job as an athlete.
Eva: Speaking of non-athletic activities, we see you often in commercials, TV programs and magazine photoshoots. Is there a particular reason you undertake these projects?
Son: Many people misunderstand that I take on these offers because I value fame over athletics, but that’s not the case. I don’t come from an affluent family, and training expenses can be demanding. My mother once had to make my uniform because I could not afford one. Without commercials, I could not have funded my training in Russia.
Patricia: There clearly was a misunderstanding about your motivations. Well, it is about time to wrap up the show. Do you have any last words about your future plans?
Son: The Asian Games has given me the confidence I need to prepare for larger competitions, primarily the 2016 Olympics at Rio de Janeiro. As of now, however, I want to focus on resting. It’s been a hard four years and I could really use some time to recover.
Patricia, Eva: We cannot wait to see your progress and wish you the best of luck! Thank you so much for spending time with us today.