Kim Yong-Dae Regained Halla Title

Kim Yong-Dae (Hyundai Heavy Industries) recaptured the Halla title in the regular season in six months.

Kim grabbed the victory trophy by defeating 3-0 Nam Dong-Woo (LG Investment Securities) in the Halla class final of the 2001 Yungam traditional wrestling tournament.

With this win, the All-Star Halla champion in August, Kim Yong-Dae mounted again on a flower palanquin in six months since winning the regular season title in last April at Boryung.

Kim has been unbeatable in the Halla class by sweeping three titles from the Eumsung tournament in October last year to the Boryung tournament in April. However, it was not as easy to defend the champion as he thought. Kim had been defeated in the finals of the Geoje tournament in May and the Kwangyang tournament in June, and moreover he failed to move on even to the semi-finals, let alone the final, in the Cheonan tournament last month. Kim said that he poured tears with the regrettable loss in the lodgings.

In the final, Kim coincidentally faced again, then quarter-final opponent, Nam Dong-Woo. Facing Nam in the final match, Kim looked as if he was filled with the fighting spirit for revenging the loss last month.

Kim won the two sets with the body slam and body twist. In the third set, when Nam attempted to sweep Kim`s feet, Kim countered by attacking Nam to the floor.

Kim expressed his delightfulness, saying humbly ``I think I could have won by luck. Now I am relieved from the burdens from the series of failures.``

▼ Halla class ranking: 1. Kim Yong-Dae (Hyundai), 2. Nam Dong-Woo (LG), 3. Cho Beom-Jae (Shinchang), 5. Kim Hyung-Goo (Hyundai), 6. Seo Hee-Gun (Hyundai), 7. Lim Hong-Jin (LG), 8. Kim Jong-Jin (Hyundai)

Joo Sung-Won swon@donga.com