South Korea's Bang is taking gold seriously
South Korea's Bang is taking gold seriously
ATLANTA, Georgia (DPA): South Korean women's badminton champion Bang Soo-hyun is the daughter of a popular comedian, but her dream of an Olympic gold medal is no laughing matter.
"I am very confident of getting a gold medal," the 23-year-old silver medalist at the 1992 Barcelona Games said after eliminating Indonesia's Olympic champion Susi Susanti in the semifinals on Tuesday.
Bang has helped put badminton in the public eye in Korea, where traditionally other sports such as soccer and baseball are more popular.
Her performances at the 1992 Games - when badminton was making its Olympic debut - were covered closely by national television and turned her into an overnight star. She is "one of the nicest ladies to ever grace the badminton court", says World Badminton magazine's Roy Ward.
The domestic game is not that popular, said sports reporter Yoon Chun-suk of Seoul Broadcasting System television. "But because of television, badminton has become an Olympic sport. Bang has really helped awareness of the game. When she walks down the street, she is recognized by everybody."
Her father, Bang Chung-pyung, is also well-known in Korea as a professional comedian, but his script these days is devoted to supporting his daughter's sporting career.
Bang did not start playing badminton until she was 11 - her final opponent Mia Audina of Indonesia had a racket in her hand at the age of three - when a teacher saw the possibilities.
She has since won a number of Asian titles and this year beat China's Ye Zhaoying for the All England Championships. Now ranked third in the world, her big aim is the Olympic title. "I keep praying I'm going to get a gold medal," she said.
After the Games, she intends to pursue a masters degree, having already obtained a degree at the Korean University of Physical Education in Seoul. She also likes going to the cinema and enjoys rock music and ballet.
But right now, badminton takes first place. "My life is dedicated to badminton and it is not complicated by boy friends, but it could change after the Olympic Games when I must think about my future," she said recently.