Bone marrow donor wins taekwondo competition

Shin Dong-hoon, 15, a taekwondo athlete at Jeonnam Physical Education School, holds a gold medal at Daegu Stadium, the venue for taekwondo matches of the 42nd National Junior Sports Festival, on May 27. Shin won the middle school students’ light middleweight class. / Courtesy of Jeollanamdo Sports Council

By Nam Hyun-woo

Shin Dong-hoon won a gold medal for his taekwondo skills last month, but an earlier act of love for his sister is worth more than gold.

The 15-year-old taekwondo who attends the Jeonnam Physical Education School in South Jeolla Province, won gold at a national junior tournament, despite having to skip training and being weakened after donating bone marrow in January.

Shin’s sister was diagnosed with cancer last October and doctors said she needed a bone marrow transplant. All her family members volunteered as donors but Shin’s bone marrow was the closest match. He happily volunteered.

“This could be a small gesture of gratitude for my sister who has been embracing me with her love,” he said.

To ensure he remained healthy so his donation would carry no illnesses, Shin gave up winter training before the procedure.

After a training gap of five months, he returned to the gym in March to discover that he was too heavy for his original class of light welterweight. Having no choice but to step up to the light middleweight class, he had to build up his stamina and take on bigger rivals as he regained his strength.

That all paid off at the 42nd National Junior Sports Festival held in Daegu from May 25 to 28, when he fought through to a final against 184-centimeter tall Park Seon-gyu. Shin is 175 centimeters tall.

Shin downed Park with a roundhouse kick to collect the gold.

“I miss my sister. I can imagine how she will smile when I show her the medal,” he said.

His sister, Shin Seul-gi, left the hospital in February and now only visits as an outpatient.