Strict coaching helped Son shine at Olympics

South Korea's Son Yeon-jae performs during the rhythmic gymnastics individual all-around final at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday. / Yonhap

By Choi Ha-young

South Korean rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae finished fourth in the individual all-around at the Rio Olympics, Saturday, falling short of winning a historic Olympic medal.

The 22-year-old gymnast received 72.898 points in total from her hoop (18.216), ball (18.266), clubs (18.3) and ribbon (18.116) performances. Margarita Mamun of Russia clinched gold, Russia's Yana Kudryavtseva the silver and Ganna Rizatdinova of Ukraine the bronze.

Son and her coach Elena Nefedova hugged each other after the game as Son leaned on her coach's shoulder while waiting for her score.

"I trained with her for six years. Sometimes we had conflicts and didn't want to see each other. But now I really appreciate her," Son told reporters after the game.

Son Yeon-jae, left, waits for her score after the individual all-around final performance with her coach Elena Nefodova. / Yonhap

Nefedova is well known for strict coaching style. When Son was struggling with an ankle injury, Nefedova said "not only you, all other athletes are hurt," encouraging her to practice more.

The Russian coach harshly pointed out Son's mistakes during last-minute training in Rio. Nefedova directed Son to repeat the same movement again and again. "Take the precise gesture, put in more power," Nefedova told Son in Russian.

Son met Nefedova in 2011 after she decided to train in Russia's Novogorsk Training Center. Under her supervision, Son has renewed her personal records. "She is the coach who took me to fourth place in the Olympics, from 32nd place at the World Championship," said Son, Saturday.

Russia's Margarita Mamun performs during the rhythmic gymnastics individual all-around final at the
2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday. / AP-Yonhap

In the 2012 London Games she was ranked fifth and clinched golds at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games and 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiad. Amid traditionally strong Russian players, Son's Olympics record is the best coming from an Asian gymnast.

Under Nefedova, Son's strength has grown significantly, showing firmly rooted legs during her fouette pivot. "I want to give myself 100 points," said Son, who has pioneered rhythmic gymnastics in Korea.

Leaving her regrets behind, Son hopes to stay in her country with family, after six years of lonely training in Russia. According to her agency, Son is returning to her college next semester.

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