The team captain led his country back to the U19 World Championship podium after a 20-year gap
Yun Seojin celebrates winning a medal with Korea
Credit: volleyballworld.com
After two decades, Korea has once again secured a place on the podium at the FIVB Boys’ U19 World Championship. This Friday in San Juan, the Asian team defeated the United States by 3-1 and proudly took home the bronze medal.
- Watch the Boys’ U19 World Championship live on the Volleyball World YouTube channel
It was another unforgettable day for Korea, which received tremendous support from the local crowd, helping them overcome the North American team and secure a spot on the podium in the 2023 World Championship. Team captain Yun Seojin shared his emotions after the match:
“It’s been a very long period since we last won a medal in the U19 World Championship. We are absolutely thrilled about this achievement.”
The outside hitter emerged as his team’s top scorer with 17 points and also led the Koreans in overall statistics with a remarkable total of 88 points throughout the tournament.
Seojin in action during the semifinals of the tournament
The fourth set of the match against the United States was very intense, adding a great deal of excitement to the conclusion. Yun experienced a moment of relief as the final ball hit the ground, turning the dream of winning a medal into reality: “I was filled with a lot of emotions. I was very happy because we managed to win the game.”
The 18-year-old player revealed that this medal means even more than what their team had initially aimed for upon arriving in Argentina:
“When we first arrived here, our goal was to reach the semifinals. We achieved that, and even after losing against Iran, we were determined to continue playing our best volleyball. Every team member gave their utmost effort, and I believe that’s why we emerged victorious today against the USA and secured our place on the podium.”
Korea celebrates their bronze medal
Korea celebrated their third bronze medal in their 12th appearance at the U19 World Championships, thanks to the tremendous support of the local crowd. Flags, banners and unwavering encouragement accompanied the team throughout the entire tournament.
Argentinian fans supported Korea during the tournament
Seojin was deeply touched by the support of the Argentine fans and expressed gratitude to each supporter for standing by them during the competition. “The great distance between Korea and Argentina wasn’t a problem. The fans cheered for us consistently throughout the tournament and I am genuinely happy about that.”
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