The Korean wheelchair team left the 4 Nations Para Badminton International 2024 in high spirits after winning three of the five gold medals on offer.

Choi Jung Man got the party started in Glasgow on Sunday with a 21-14 21-15 WH1 men’s singles victory over Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli, successfully defending the 2023 title he won in Sheffield.

“I hope this victory boosts the confidence of the rest of the team,” said Choi.

“We faced each other last year in Sheffield, so I could anticipate his shots. I know I’m not No.1 in the world, but this win is a great step towards the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Without the Chinese team here, the competition was wide open, which worked to my advantage. I dyed my hair the colour of the medal I want at the Paralympics.”

Unseeded Gyeoul Jung followed suit with a 21-17 21-17 win over WH2 women’s singles top seed Emine Seckin to claim gold.

“I wasn’t surprised by my win,” Jung said. “I felt confident going into the match and have had a good week. I also enjoyed taking pictures of my teammates playing. The sky in Scotland is beautiful, and the air is clean.”

Jeong Jaegun and Sooyoung Yu capped off a glorious day for Team Korea with a 21-14 21-14 victory over Daiki Kajiwara/Hiroshi Murayama in the WH1-WH2 men’s doubles final.

Yu said: “I was nervous going into the match because Kajiwara is tough to play against. I want to celebrate with some tasty Korean food, especially soybean stew. Unfortunately, we are heading to the airport right after the prize ceremony, so there’s no time for a Scottish hamburger. Maybe next time.”

→ Results (Finals)

WHAT OTHERS SAID

“This is the last competition before the Paralympics and acts as a good rehearsal for the real event. My title gives me a lot of confidence for Paris. It’s time to focus on extra training.” – Sarina Satomi (WH1)

“I had a lead in the first game but Kajiwara changed some things and I couldn’t catch up. He’s a mentality king. I’m happy to have reached the final. It’s a good test event to see where I am and I’m looking forward to the summer. I’ve used the time in Scotland to say goodbye to friends I won’t see in Paris.” – Soon-to-retire Ho Yuen Chan Daniel (WH2)

“I was nervous and I’m okay with that. Nerves are a sign of really wanting something. I need to work on my power and level up.” – Kajiwara

“You win some, you lose some. I can take away a lot of positives from this tournament. I’m very focused on Paris and getting back to training.” – Seckin, following her surprise defeat to Jung