(Universiade) Gymnast soldiering on despite injury

By Park Sojung

GWANGJU, July 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean gymnast Yang Hak-seon betrayed no emotion Thursday as he touched the vault table to perfect his techniques for the Summer Universiade.

The reigning Olympic champion is one of South Korea's medal hopefuls, having won the previous Universiade in Kazan, Russia.

Yang, however, recently announced he has come down with the same injury that prevented him from winning the title at the Asian Games last year.

He's been battling a cut to his hamstring, which he says makes him feel as if "part of (my) thigh does not exist."

"The situation is perhaps worse this time," he told Yonhap News Agency while training at the Kwangju Women's University Gymnasium. "That's why I'm not trying to get so hung up on medals. I should first look after myself."

Yang has two of the most difficult vault techniques named after himself, "Yang 1" and "Yang 2." The first one involves the front handspring entry with three twists. He's outdone himself with Yang 2, which has a sideways handspring entry and an extra half twist to Yang 1.

On Thursday, the last day of intensive training, however, Yang was seen practicing the less difficult "Yeo 2" and "Lopez," which require two and a half twists and three twists, respectively.

Yang said constantly being followed by journalists hasn't helped, either, as the nation has pinned its gymnastics medal hopes on the 22-year-old's leg.

"Of course, they affect my training," he said when asked if he found reporters cumbersome. "Then again, I'm grateful for the attention because it's a privilege most people don't get."

Yang's quest for medals begins Saturday morning, when the men's team and individual qualification take place at the same gymnasium where he practiced Thursday.

sojungpark@yna.co.kr
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