Choi Tae-ho, who has rewritten the history of Korean cycling, wins a gold medal in the men's keirin at the World Track Junior Championships
Rising star Choi Tae-ho (Gangwon Cycling Association) has achieved a historic accomplishment on the world stage.
On the 22nd (Korean time), Choi Tae-ho became the first Korean athlete to win a gold medal in the men's keirin individual event at the World Track Junior Championships held in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
In the final of the keirin event, Choi Tae-ho crossed the finish line 0.212 seconds ahead of second-place Dmitry Pavlovsky (neutral individual athlete).
Keirin is a cycling race where several riders start simultaneously on the same track, requiring instantaneous judgment and explosive speed.
Choi Tae-ho calmly passed through the preliminary and semifinal rounds, showcasing overwhelming skill in the final. Notably, during the last lap, he raced at speeds exceeding 70 km/h, establishing a lead, and even had the composure to look back just before the finish line to confirm his victory.
Choi Tae-ho's cycling journey began with diverse sports experiences
Choi Tae-ho's cycling journey started from various sports experiences.
Having tried skiing and BMX racing in his childhood, he entered track cycling during middle school.
Upon entering high school, he studied abroad in Australia and New Zealand, renowned as strong cycling nations, and built his international sense and skills.
The fruits of his efforts began to show last year.
Choi Tae-ho demonstrated his potential by winning two bronze medals in the sprint and team sprint events at the World Junior Championships held in China.
At this championship, he solidified his status as an emerging global cycling talent by winning a silver medal in the team sprint followed by a gold medal in the keirin.
Choi Tae-ho is the first athlete in the history of Korean cycling to win a gold medal in the keirin event at the World Junior Championships. This can be seen as a significant signal that Korean cycling is beginning to establish competitiveness on the world stage.
Choi Tae-ho is set to compete in his main event, the sprint individual, on the 23rd, aiming for his second gold medal at this championship.
Korean cycling fans are highly optimistic about Choi Tae-ho's chances of adding another medal to his collection.
Image source: Choi Tae-ho / Photo provided by the UCI, Choi Tae-ho (middle) / Instagram 'kcf_cycling'
