Jo El-jin and Daniel recount dramatic Asian Games bronze medal run

Jo El-jin and Daniel secured a bronze medal and a new South Korean record of 38.44 seconds in the 400m relay after a successful appeal overturned a disqualification during the heats. The pair overcame heavy rain and the disadvantage of Lane 1 to advance to the final.

Jo El-jin and Daniel, who won a bronze medal and set a new South Korean record in the 400m relay at the Asian Games, recounted the various ups and downs they faced. The two athletes recalled the tense moments involved in winning the medal, including a disqualification crisis during the heats and unfavorable racing conditions in the final.

Dramatic advancement to the final following disqualification crisis

During this competition, Jo El-jin and Daniel ran as the second and fourth runners in the 400m relay, achieving a new South Korean record of 38.44 seconds. However, there was an unexpected crisis before they could reach the final. During the heat, they faced a disqualification (DQ) crisis due to a judgment that the first and second runners had slightly stepped out of their lines during the baton exchange.

Regarding the situation at the time, Daniel expressed his intense feelings, stating, "When I entered the briefing room immediately after the race and saw 'DQ' written on the overall results, I told my older brother that something seemed wrong," adding, "Because I ran it myself, I was certain that we did not cross the line." Following an appeal conducted after verification by the coach, they were fortunately judged not to have violated the line, allowing them to dramatically advance to the final.

Handicap of Lane 1 and the struggle amidst rain and wind

The environment on the day of the final was also difficult. Heavy rain fell at the stadium, and due to the nature of night racing, the track markings were difficult to see because of light glare. In particular, Lane 1, where the two athletes were assigned, is known to be a disadvantageous position for athletes because water splashes up in the corner section.

"Lane 1 is disadvantageous because the water splashes up," Jo El-jin said, adding, "I am confident that if we had run in the main lanes, 4, 5, or 6, we would have definitely won the gold medal." The significance of this medal is deepened by the fact that they achieved a South Korean record despite the handicaps of an unfavorable position and bad weather.

Differing growing pains and mutual respect

The growth processes of the two athletes were also distinct. After obtaining South Korean citizenship in his third year of middle school, Daniel stood out by taking first place in national competitions after entering high school, but he later suffered a slump, struggling for three to four years due to injuries. On the other hand, Jo El-jin demonstrated exceptional skill by winning a gold medal at the Gumi Asian Championships last year.

The two athletes showed both competitiveness and respect for one another. Jo El-jin confessed that while he was going through a difficult period due to past injuries, he felt complex emotions seeing his competitor, Daniel, emerge like a rising star and achieve results. Currently, the two have formed a deep bond, to the extent that they have set photos of each other as their mobile phone wallpapers, showing their roles as partners who will jointly take responsibility for the future of South Korean sprinting.

Source: original video (YouTube)