More than the joy of winning gold, Oh Sang-wook prioritized his junior who was eliminated: "It's a relief that Doh Kyung-dong helped resolve things as much as possible" [At Dokoname]

*This content was translated by AI.

Oh Sang-wook (30, Daejeon Metropolitan City Government) firmly retained his position as the top men's sabre fencer at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games. Rather than expressing joy over winning gold, Oh first mentioned Doh Kyung-dong (Daegu Metropolitan City Government), who was eliminated in the quarterfinals, conveying his regret.

Oh Sang-wook (world ranking No. 3) defeated China's Xian Tianfeng (No. 27) with a score of 15-13 in the men's sabre final at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 23rd, standing atop the podium. This marks his second consecutive Asian Games gold medal in men's sabre fencing, following his victory at the 2022 Hangzhou (China) Games.

Competing while dealing with injuries from early clashes with opponents, Oh found himself in a difficult position after temporarily falling behind but ultimately secured the gold medal by demonstrating superior focus in the final moments. With Gu Bon-gil's three-peat and Oh's back-to-back titles, South Korea has now achieved five consecutive men's sabre team victories at the Asian Games.

After the match, when interviewed by reporters, Oh Sang-wook mentioned Doh Kyung-dong's name before expressing any joy about his own victory. Doh, ranked world No. 2 and considered another favorite even higher than Oh, was eliminated earlier in the quarterfinals of this tournament.

When asked about his feelings on winning gold, Oh said, "I thought I would naturally meet (Doh) Kyung-dong at the finals, but it seems he lost due to some physical issues. So it's a bit regrettable that we couldn't meet up there," while adding, "But I feel relieved that Doh helped resolve things as much as possible."

This achievement not only secured his second consecutive individual title but also alleviated the pressure of challenging for a five-peat in men's sabre fencing. Oh stated, "I felt quite burdened before coming here. Still, I tried to focus more on the competition itself. It seems I practiced self-hypnosis extensively since yesterday. That was my mental control."

Oh added, "I've always faced Korean opponents in the finals, but this time I met a foreign competitor. It feels somewhat new," and continued, "As soon as Kyung-dong lost, he gave me lots of encouragement. I also thought a lot about how Kyung-dong now needs to step up."

His focus now shifts to the men's sabre team event for another gold medal. Oh remarked, "The team event should be very comfortable. Because when competing with the current teammates, I haven't even considered not winning gold," and further stated, "Since I can rely on my teammates, there shouldn't be much pressure. I believe we will definitely win gold."

Now, as a senior athlete, he must lead his juniors in challenging for victory. Oh said, "Previously, I thought I had to carry the team alone. But now I believe each player has sufficient strength," and added, "Even without me leading specifically, I think our Korean fencing is strong. I intend to trust my teammates even more." The men's sabre team event, where Oh will challenge for a double crown, will take place on the 26th.

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*This content was translated by AI.