Korean gymnast rises from poverty

By Kang Seung-woo

Yang Hak-seon has continuously said that his dream was to build a house for his poor parents, currently living in a makeshift greenhouse, if he won gold at the London Olympics.

The 19-year-old gymnast triumphed in the men’s vault Tuesday (KST) and his dream is now a reality.

“I cannot actually believe what is happening to me at the moment,” said Yang, who became the nation’s first gymnast to win at the quadrennial event and the first to medal since Yeo Hong-chul’s silver in the men’s vault in 1996.

“This medal was an opportunity and I had to grab it.”

The gymnast’s four-member family lived in