SKT's 20-year sponsorship elevates Korean fencing to Olympic glory

From left: Gu Bon-gil, Park Sang-won, Oh Sang-uk and Do Gyeong-dong of South Korea celebrate after winning the gold medal in the men's saber fencing team event at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

Achieving remarkable success at the Paris Olympics, Korean fencing is shining alongside SK Telecom's two decades of sponsorship.

Since starting its sponsorship of the Korean Fencing Federation in 2003, SKT has been a steadfast supporter of Korean fencing. Over the years, the company contributed 30 billion won ($21.9 million) through the federation.

"Our support has been instrumental in Korea's development into a fencing powerhouse," said an SKT official.

The company has consistently backed the national team's overseas training camps and participation in international competitions. Since 2004, it has organized a Grand Prix tournament in Korea, providing domestic fencers with international competition experience.

In preparation for the Paris Olympics SKT rolled out various on-site support activities.

The company set up facilities for pre-Olympic simulation training, installing playing fields at the Jincheon National Training Center that match the Olympic venue's specifications and conditions, including crowd noise and lighting to mimic real competition settings.

Moreover, the company dispatched a dedicated support team and medical trainers to Paris and increased the number of performance analysts to boost the athletes' performance. Earlier this year, SKT and the Fencing Federation secured a hotel near the Olympic fencing venue to serve as a base camp for the Korean fencing team.

Choi Shin-won, the then chairman of SK Networks and current president of the Korean Fencing Federation, attended the Olympics to support and encourage Korean athletes. Since he was appointed federation president in 2018, Choi has been at the forefront of efforts to enhance Korea's fencing competitiveness, according to the company.

"Thanks to SKT's support, I was able to compete in numerous international events, making me more internationally competitive. I hope the achievements brought about by a company’s sustained interest and support continue," said Won Woo-young, the men's saber national team coach.

Korea recently secured first place in the men's team saber event, marking their third consecutive Olympic team victory. The women's saber team is set to compete Saturday for more medals.

By Kim Jun-hong(hongie@heraldcorp.com)