Actress Lee punches closer to her Asian Game dreams
Lee Si-young frowns as her opponent Kim Da-som hits her face during the women’s 48-kilogram event at the National Amateur Boxing Championships in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. / Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
When actress Lee Si-young said she wanted to win a boxing gold medal at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games two months ago, few noticed she was dead serious about the goal.
The 31-year-old took a major step toward her dream Wednesday, winning the women’s 48-kilogram event at the National Amateur Boxing Championships after defeating Kim Da-som by a decision in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.
Lee, who fights with an out-boxing style to exploit her reach, got off to a shaky start as her opponent came aggressively out of the gate and took a 4-2 lead in the first round. But Lee wrapped up the second round 5-5 by capitalizing on her nifty footwork and keeping Kim’s powerful punches at a distance. Lee kept her pace in the third and fourth round and a tired Kim wasn’t able to keep it up.
Because the 48-kilogram class is not part of the Asian Games’ events, Lee plans to compete in the 51-kilogram category at the National Sports Festival in October as well as tryout for the Asian Games in December.
Lee became interested in the sport while preparing for her role in a television drama in 2010 and has seriously practiced ever since. Her name made sports headlines after she became a champion in an amateur boxing tournament in 2011.
When she joined the Incheon City boxing team this January, the actress appeared in front of the cameras without wearing any makeup, much to the delight of fans and reporters there. At a media conference for the announcement, Lee said she would be sincere so that she won’t embarrass herself in front of the athletes. “I believe they accepted me for what I can do rather than what I cannot do.”
And she kept her word.