Korea's Lee Dabin having fun and hoping to be a one of kind

Lee Dabin wanted to find out how to enjoy taekwondo, once again, ahead of the 2022 season.

“I actually lost my confidence after going through national team trials for five months. In particular, I was very exhausted mentally due to winning and losing repetitively almost every two weeks,” Lee said in an exclusive Olympics.com interview.

From last October until this May, Korean taekwondo athletes fought one another in order to seize a chance to represent the country at international events including the 2022 World Taekwondo Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico and the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China.

“In the beginning, my performance level was quite good as I kept winning. However, gradually it gave me lots of pressure, so I ended up being defeated in most matches at the end of the trials.”

The defending world champion did secure her spot in the women’s -73kg at the Guadalajara 2022 World Taekwondo Championships (13-20 November, live on Olympic Channel), but missed her chance to win the third consecutive title at Hangzhou 2022 which was postponed to September 2023.

READ MORE: Postponed Asian Games 2022 scheduled for September- October 2023

Having fun first before the results

Lee Dabin decided to let herself be free from pressure for results at the Rome 2022 World Taekwondo Grand Prix event, which was her first international competition after the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. However, surprisingly, she won her third Grand Prix title.

“I just had fun in each match in Rome, so my coach and I were very surprised to claim gold. That title was the key to changing my attitude towards the 2022 Paris Grand Prix series.

“It made me eager to become a winner again because I hope to be remembered as an athlete whose class would be permanent, not the one who shone temporarily.”

After Tokyo 2020: "becoming one to beat"

Last year, Olympic taekwondo was one of the exciting sporting events to watch in Tokyo, but the Korean national team had a disappointing Games.

In the women’s event, Thailand’s Panipak Wongapttanakit and Croatia’s Matea Jelic became the first taekwondo athletes from their countries to take home Olympic gold medals following their victories in the -49kg and -67kg categories, respectively at Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

“I never thought that we [Korean athletes] had to be always the best in the world. But it is important for us to keep the pride of the national sport in our hearts.

“Through Tokyo 2020, we learned lessons that we also needed to accept new taekwondo styles that have worked well on the global scene, not sticking to our conservative ways ahead of Paris 2024,” Lee said.

Team Korea - which top the all-time Olympic medal table with 22 medals including 12 golds - ended Tokyo 2020 without winning a single gold medal.

The 2019 World Champion Lee, who began representing the birth country of the sport in 2014, was the only one from the team to reach a final in Tokyo. She won silver in the +67kg class, being defeated by London 2012 champion Milica Mandic from Serbia.

“Before Tokyo 2020, I was one of the athletes from Republic of Korea, the traditional favourites. However, after becoming an Olympic medallist, they see me as ‘Lee Dabin, the one to beat'.”

Paris 2024: "I want to impress the French crowd"

Lee won her fourth Grand Prix event in Paris, winning the final against 2020 Olympic bronze medallist Althea Laurin who had the support of the French crowds.

“Although it was tough to deal with pressure, I was delighted to achieve my goal. Now I am confident enough to push myself more to reach higher.”

How did she feel after having a taste of passionate home fans on the pathway to her second Olympic Games?

“Of course, it wouldn't be easy for everyone including me not to be affected by that kind of overwhelming atmosphere, as sometimes it would change games. However, for me, it is just one of the excuses. It made me more competitive. I want to impress the host country's fans and make them cheer me up through my performance.”

Lee will aim to defend her title in the women's -73kg at the 2022 World Championships, which will be held for the first time in three years, following her victory in 2019 in Manchester, England.

“The Worlds is always more unexpected than the Grand Prix events, as more athletes including rookies made their appearances.

“I'm more longing for making perfect preparations mentally as well as physically in order not to make the same mistake as I did in the final last year. Moreover, I will continue to work harder to refine more Lee Dabin-like taekwondo style.”

READ MORE: How to qualify for taekwondo at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained