
There is a name that “badminton queen” Ahn Se-young (22, Samsung Life Insurance) always mentions in recent interviews with national team coach Kim Hak-gyun. It’s trainer Han Soo-ju (26).
He joined the national team as a conditioning manager in July last year and has been Ahn’s personal trainer since this year.
It was Han who was closest to Ahn when she was struggling after injuring her knee in the final of the Hangzhou Asian Games last October.
His role isn’t just about physical conditioning. It’s also about keeping Ahn, who is in her early 20s, mentally centered.
This is why Ahn was in tears after losing in the semifinals of the Korea Open in March.
“I was impatient because I couldn’t get up, and my trainer was really struggling beside me,” Ahn said on her flight home, adding, “I was really sorry that I couldn’t get a good result, and at the same time, I cried because I was grateful.”
“I don’t know if I can make it to the Olympics, but I’m trusting my trainer and taking it day by day,” she said.
Ahn also thought of Sensei last month when she overcame knee pain to win the Singapore Open and finish runner-up at the Indonesia Open.
“My trainer told me, ‘Don’t think you’re in pain and always play as if it’s 0-0,’ so I really played with that in mind. She was there to change my thoughts (positively),” Ahn said.
Ahn’s trainer Han Soo-soo, who recently met with Yonhap at the Jincheon Athletes’ Village in Chungcheongbuk-do, was by her side throughout her training.
“We’re together almost 24 hours a day,” says one trainer. I ask her how she’s feeling, and then I design a warm-up program and stretching routine accordingly.” “At first, she said, ‘I have my own routine,’ but now she’s very receptive to it,” says another trainer.
For one trainer, psychological support is just as important as physical care.
“She only knows one sport, badminton, which is her advantage as an athlete, but it’s also a pity. It’s hard on her,” he said, adding, “It’s a singles sport, so she doesn’t have a partner to rely on, so I think she’s lonely and struggling.”
“She recommends books, songs, and other things to help her feel better after a workout, so our relationship has grown a lot,” he said, adding, “I think she feels like she has a big sister she can rely on.”
One trainer tried to instill “romance” in Ahn, who was too strict with herself.
“The Olympics are in Paris, how romantic,” he said, “Meeting him (Chen Yufei) again means you have an epic story,” and “The next Olympics are in Los Angeles (LA), how young you are.”
He told her, “I hope you’re excited to work out, excited to show what you’ve been practicing in the competition, and excited to do the ceremony afterwards. I want her to fulfill her own romance every day.”
One trainer’s wish is becoming a reality.
At the media day on March 25, Ahn’s resolution was to “have a romantic time in Paris.”
When asked what she meant, she said, “My trainer said a lot of good things to remind me. He said, ‘If you start to feel excited when you’re working out, and when you’re done, you feel like you’ve done a good job, then you’ve had a good day,'” she explained.
“I started the year with an injury, but along the way, I developed a good plan and goals, and if I finish it well, I will be able to say that I lived a romantic year,” he said. 바카라사이트