A 'gold medal' despite a ruptured lumbar disc... Fencing's Oh Sang-wook, two-time champion: "If I lose, even injuries are just an excuse" [Tokoname on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

Oh Sang-wook (30, Daejeon Metropolitan City Government) firmly retained his position as the men's sabre champion at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games. This marks his second consecutive title following the 2022 Hangzhou (China) Games. It is also a precious gold medal achieved despite overcoming pain from what is commonly referred to as a herniated disc, or lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion.

On the 23rd, Oh Sang-wook defeated China's Xian Tianfeng 15-13 in the men's sabre final at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, securing the top spot on the podium. World rankings place Oh Sang-wook at third and Xian Tianfeng at 27th. Although Oh appeared to be on the verge of defeat after falling behind 11-13, he ultimately scored four consecutive points to close out a fiercely contested match.

This gold medal carried even greater significance because his condition had not been optimal prior to the tournament. Having won two titles at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he subsequently endured prolonged suffering due to back pain. Given the nature of the sport, back pain could only be fatal. Furthermore, during the final, he suffered an additional injury when his opponent stepped on his ankle early in the match, requiring extended treatment. Nevertheless, Oh Sang-wook once again stood atop the podium.

In fact, his injury history extends beyond this. He has previously suffered a severe injury where all ligaments in his right ankle were completely torn. He considers the time when he was injured as the most difficult moment of his athletic career, marked by significant injuries and misfortunes. Yet, he overcame even the complete rupture of his ankle ligaments through rehabilitation and continued his career. Moreover, at this tournament, he triumphed despite also overcoming a ruptured lumbar disc.

In an interview with reporters after the match, Oh Sang-wook responded to questions about his back pain by stating, "My disc ruptured. Since then, I have focused heavily on strengthening exercises and treatment." He added, "I believe I engaged in extensive technical and tactical training for the Asian Games a month or two before the event. With the Games approaching so soon, I couldn't make a choice, but now I need to determine whether surgery would be better."

He also overcame the variable of an ankle injury early in the match. Even after the competition concluded and the awards ceremony was completed, he continued to feel pain. Oh Sang-wook stood atop the podium having overcome not only back pain but also ankle pain. He added, "There were moments where we got locked together with my opponent. It still throbs. Fortunately, once I enter the match, I seem to forget the pain. I competed while thinking that if I lose, even injuries would be just an excuse."

However, Oh Sang-wook temporarily set aside his joy over winning the individual gold medal and achieving two consecutive titles at the Games. He now turns his focus to challenging for the men's sabre team gold medal alongside his teammates. This stage also represents the opportunity to lead the men's sabre national team in its quest for a fourth consecutive Asian Games title.

Oh Sang-wook stated, "My ankle still hurts, but it poses no problem for the team event." He continued, "In fact, the team event seems too easy. I haven't even considered not winning gold if we compete with the current roster of athletes. I truly believe we will definitely win gold." The men's sabre team event, which also serves as Oh Sang-wook's stage for a two-title challenge, is scheduled to take place on the 27th.

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*This content was translated by AI.