No Chuseok break for athletes

Wrestlers train at the Taereung National Training Center on the outskirts of Seoul on Aug. 20. Most athletes at the center will push ahead with training during the five-day Chuseok holiday ahead of the Incheon Asian Games, which will kick off on Sept. 19. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Kwon Ji-youn

One of the nation’s longest holidays ― Chuseok ― is just around the corner, but obviously not all people will get a chance to enjoy it.

Most athletes set to appear in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games will not join the millions of Koreans bound for their hometowns this weekend, and instead will have to continue training during the five-day traditional vacation.

But that is nothing unusual for them, they say.

“The National Sports Festival usually takes place soon after Chuseok, so I’ve gotten used to spending the holiday working out or training,” female fencer Kim Ji-yeon told The Korea Times. The Asian Games are scheduled to run Sept. 19-Oct. 4.

She said that she will either be on the fencing strip or at the gym during the holiday period.

“My family has gotten used to it, too. Some people seem to think that we’re being pushed too hard, but we don’t train all day long. Taking a day off may help us recover somewhat from fatigue, but not resting will not burn us out.”

Star gymnast Yang Hak-seon will also push ahead with training during Chuseok, as will swimming sensation Park Tae-hwan and the wrestling, archery and taekwondo teams. The women’s judo team has planned an intense training session this weekend.

“With the Asian Games just 15 days away, we can’t afford to take a day off,” said Joo Young-sam, Yang’s coach.

Korean badminton players are also no exception to the no holiday rule, despite having just returned to Seoul Tuesday with a gold, silver and bronze medal from last weekend’s Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“The Asian Games are just around the corner,” said badminton coach Lee Deuk-choon. “As long as our athletes aren’t feeling too drained, we’ll be training on Monday, Chuseok day, as well, as will most other athletes performing in the Asiad.”

The Korean national football team will have friendlies against Venezuela and Uruguay on Sept. 5 and Sept. 8 on its home soil, which will be its first international matches since its disappointing campaign in the Brazil World Cup in June.

But those who will be stuck at the Taereung National Training Center on the outskirts of Seoul during the holiday may be lucky, because they may get to take at least one day off to meet with family. Others will be out of the country participating in fierce international competitions in the days ahead.

Rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae is set to appear in the 2014 FIG World Cup Series in Kazan, Russia Sept. 5-7.

Son, who snagged the bronze at the previous World Cup event in Sofia, Bulgaria last month, is hoping for her country’s first Asiad gold in rhythmic gymnastics.

Afterwards, she will head to Izmir, Turkey, to perform in the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships before journeying to Incheon to prepare for the Asiad.

Members of the men’s tennis team will face host Taiwan in a Davis Cup first round match Sept. 12-14, and sharpshooter Jin Jong-oh will participate in the ISSF World Shooting Championships in Granada, Spain, Sept. 6-20. Jin settled for bronze in the men’s 10m air pistol event at the Munich World Championships four years ago.