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South Koreans achieve milestones in Tagaman
South Korean triathletes lead in the early part of the bike leg of last Saturday’s Tagaman Triathlon. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Jae Yun Won ruled the 2016 edition of the Tagaman, while perennial competitor Yu Hun Park finished his 200th triathlon, making Team Korea’s experience in Saipan’s longest-running multisport event a momentous one.
The 29-year-old Won, competing for the first time in the Tagaman, finished the 70.3-mile course in 4:41:35 to beat three other compatriots in the men’s pro/elite division. Kaon Cho beat Gyu Seo Choi by four seconds, 4:50:47 to 4:50:51, to clinch second place.
Won is part of a nine-member Tongyeong City Triathlon team that competed in the Tagaman. He said that Tongyeong City is considered as one of the best teams in the country after three of their members are selected on the South Korean National Triathlon squad.
“There are four different city teams that competed in Tagaman. Usually, some members of our team come here on Saipan only to train and not join in any of the events,” said Won through an interpreter.
Won was a former swimmer and moved to triathlon after his mandatory military service in the South Korean Armed Forces.
“It’s my first time here and it’s very hot this time of the year. I found the run leg as the most challenging part of the race. It was really hard running under the sun,” said Won, who survived the 86°F-temperatures last Saturday.
Park, meanwhile, competed in his 19th and 17th straight Tagaman en route to completing his 200th triathlon event. The 49-year-old conquered the Olympic distance event in 3:17:53 to finish fifth in the 45-49 age group.
He said he first competed in Tagaman in 1993 and again from 2000 up to the present.
“I really liked the course the first time I competed here that’s why I’ve been coming back,” said the Yeoju City native Park, who is also coaching other triathletes.
He began competing in triathlon events in his early 20s and turned pro during the Asian Championships when he was 24.
Gyu Ri Kim, who was part of Korea’s mixed relay team that won a silver medal in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, topped the Olympic distance with a time of 2:19:53.
Won, Park, Cho, Choi, Kim, and 11 other Koreans competed in Tagaman this year.
