Weightlifter Park Hye-jeong prepares for 2024 IWF World Cup

Park Hye-Jeong, a 21-year-old weightlifter, won the top prize in the Korean Sports and Olympic Committee’s Sports Awards. On February 14, Valentine’s Day, she also received the prize for best female weightlifter in the Korea Weightlifting Federation 2023 Award. “I have received an excellence award before, but this is the first time I have received the grand prize. This is even sweeter than chocolate,” said Park, with a smile on her face.

Park enjoyed a sweet victory thanks to her hard training. After winning the top prize at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on February 9, Park is still competing against babel and herself at the Jincheon Athletes’ Village in preparation for the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, from March 31. The 2024 IWF World Cup is the last competition where she can qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Park used to train in the opposite direction to Son Yeong-hee, but she recently changed her training place. “Yeong-hee is already lifting heavier weights. I lift lighter weights and start from the scratch,” said Park. “I was getting impatient whenever I saw Yeong-hee, so I asked the coach to move my position so that I could not see Yeong-hee.”

It may seem strange for a world champion to make such a request. “There is a very fine line between pride and arrogance. I try to stay as humble as possible and learn from Yeong-hee, just as Young-hee tries to learn from me,” said Park.


Bo-Mi Im bom@donga.com