Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Nam ready to take stab at gold
By Jung Min-ho
Some memories linger longer than others. The nation’s first female fencing medalist Nam Hyun-hee still remembers the feeling when Valentina Vezzali beat her at the Beijing Olympics’ final match four years ago. It happened in a moment, a blink of the eye.
“I was getting nervous as I was leading in the match and the veteran Vezzali did not miss the opportunity,” Nam said in an interview with The Korea Times. “Although I lost by one point, I accepted it as a loss where a big gap in skills between Vezzali and myself was obviously exposed, which motivated me to train harder and take on the challenge one more time at the upcoming London Olympics.”
Vezzali is a legendary Italian fencer and the first woman to win the individual foil title at three consecutive Games, from Sydney in 2000 Olympics to Beijing in 2008. The 39-year-old is still the favorite for the gold medal in London. Unfortunately, the world champion is not the only obstacle she has to overcome. Elisa Di Francisca, ranked second in the world, is another well-rounded Italian fencer that could crush Nam’s dream of topping the podium and the Korean has acknowledged how challenging her journey will be.
“Italian fencers, overall, are very experienced and competitive since they usually start learning the sport at an early age. They are also technically very skillful since many retired Olympic medalist fencers are now their coaches and managers,” Nam said. “Besides, they are very clever. They know how to deal with referees, which is their another strength.”
The 30-year-old said that she must be prepared for all the possibilities that could block her from reaching her unfulfilled desire for Olympic gold, pointing out that every single competitor will be tough.
“French fencers are also showing much improvement. I guess I have to be prepared for them as well, although I won’t reveal the secrets of how I will deal with them,” Nam said.
Nam is one of the shortest Olympic fencers in the world. Her official height is 157 centimeters in a sport where tall Europeans dominate. Her stature is an evident disadvantage.
“Technically, my short height is a huge physical downside since my reach is much shorter. To fight against someone who is taller than me, I have to move more while consuming more energy, which is unfavorable for me as the tournament goes on,” Nam said. “So, I try to manage games in a way that I move quickly and play smart without making unnecessary effort.”
At the same time, however, Nam said that her short stature is also a motivation that has pushed her to learn many techniques to offset her physical limitations and eventually this has led her to where she is now.
Romance has also played a part in the athlete’s life recently. Nam is newly married. Her love story with cyclist Gong Ho-suk has drawn a great deal of media attention culminating with the wedding on November 20 last year. Since then, he has been her biggest supporter.
“He takes good care of me, which is a big encouragement.” Nam said.
It is four years since Vezzali’s final stab at the Beijing Olympics and Nam still has the same golden goal but with a fresh mindset and stronger determination.
“I have seen many people who were more disappointed about the result than even I was last time,” Nam said. “My goal is to win the gold medal this time. I will try my best not to disappointment the fans again.”