Heo Woong chases pommel gold

[Anchor]

The nation's top pommel horse gymnast, Heo Woong, is working tirelessly in hopes of claiming gold at the Asian Championships, which kicks off on home soil in three days.

Like his basketball namesake, he is determined to usher in a golden era for gymnastics.

Reporter Park Jumi reports.

[Report]

He achieved his dream of going to Paris as a substitute player but finished 7th due to a mistake in the finals.

Overwhelmed with regret, he was moved to tears upon seeing his score.

Eventually, he collapsed and shed tears.

Heo Woong, who vows to rise again like a resilient toy, calmly envisions his performance in his mind.

He is building his stamina and preparing for a high-difficulty routine that includes two F-level elements, with thorough preparation and continuous practice.

[Heo Woong/National Artistic Gymnastics Team: "I have maintained my body fat percentage at around 4% according to InBody standards. My goal for this competition is a gold medal, and my process goal is to perform confidently without regrets."]

In the demanding field of pommel horse, Heo Woong, who stands over 178 cm tall with long arms, also possesses the quick reflexes of shorter athletes.

Although the number of technical elements has decreased due to changed rules, he considers it a positive variable.

[Heo Woong: "(I feel that) when my stamina drops, my concentration decreases rapidly. So, finishing my routine quickly and concisely seems to suit me well."]

With top competitors like Japan's Shinnosuke Oka participating, Heo Woong's challenge in this competition is an important test in preparation for next year's Asian Games.

[Lee Joo-hyung/National Team Coach: "By hosting this international competition in Korea, we have been able to gather information from various countries, including Japan and China."]

Just as there is basketball star Heo Woong, he hopes to be remembered as the Heo Woong of gymnastics, having prepared to soar powerfully after enduring hardships.

[Heo Woong: "I hope that in the future, when people think of gymnastics, they will think of Heo Woong! And when they think of Heo Woong, they will associate it with gymnastics."]

This is KBS News, Park Jumi.