SEOUL, South Korea—Sin, Ki-sok, a program analyst at the Far East District Korea Program Relocation Office, was excited to share the news with his colleagues that his son out swam his competitors, taking home the gold medal again.
Sin’s 13-year-old son, Shin, Jun-ho, recently took home the gold medal for the 2017 Munhwa Broadcasting Company Cup National Swimming Championship’s breaststroke 100m race for his age category. Shin’s winning time was 1:12.76.
Sin explained that swimming wasn’t always his son’s forte as he was a bit reluctant at first. However, with proper training he has begun to excel in the sport.
“One day we went camping with cousins and everybody enjoyed swimming in the river except for my son,” said Sin. “After arriving home from camping, I went to the sports center with my son and he started learning to swim.”
Shin was seven at the time and now six years later he has won the gold medal in five seperate competitions.
His first gold medal worthy performance was in April at the Kim-Cheon National Swimming Championship. One month later he would leave with another win at the 46th National Junior Sports Festival, which is coined as the biggest game of the year according to Sin.
When asked if Shin wanted to become a professional swimmer in the future, his father stated that like other children in the sixth grade he has many dreams at this moment.
“I don’t know his future plans exactly, but I am sure I will support whatever he wants to be,” said Sin. “He is happy about winning, and I am so proud of him.”