PyeongChang, Korea, January 23, 2024: Korea’s So Jaehwan gave the home supporters plenty to celebrate by winning the men’s monobob gold medal at the Alpensia Sliding Centre on Tuesday.
Leading from the first heat in the afternoon, So was last to go in the second run – and sped around the course to knock Tunisia’s Jonathan Lourimi from top spot and take gold in 1:48.63.
Lourimi was second for silver in 1:49.96, 1.33 seconds behind, and China’s Chi Xiangyu hung on for bronze with a time of 1:50.18.
It was host nation Korea’s second gold medal of the first Winter YOG in Asia, following short track success for Joo Jaehee on the opening day of the Games.
So, 17, was greeted with raucous celebratory chants of “So-Jae-hwan” as he took his place at the top of the podium from spectators who had braved the icy cold until late afternoon as temperatures hit minus 12.
His victory brought back memories of men’s skeleton gold for Yun Sungbin at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics on this very same Alpensia Sliding Centre course. If Yun is known as “Iron Man”, So, for now, can bask in the “Iron Boy” title.
No wonder So had so many supporters at the venue. He attends the local high school down in the valley – and said he would celebrate at home with traditional Korean beef.