
South Korea’s InKook Lee finally broke his 100m backstroke S14 hoodoo at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Four years earlier, at London 2012, he had qualified as the fastest man from his heat but was disqualified from the final after arriving late to the call room.
He also struggled to reach the top of the podium at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships, losing out in 2013 to the Netherlands’ Marc Evers, the Paralympic champion. He even broke the world record in the heats, before it was lowered by Russia’s Viacheslav Emeliantsev in the final on his way to gold.
But at Rio 2016 the glory was all his and he was in such good form that he broke the Paralympic record in the heats and finals.
Lee has his mother to thank for his success. Wanting him to overcome his fear of water, she took Lee swimming and at London 2012 he was the youngest member of the South Korean team at the age of 17.
He has been recognised for his achievements nationally via various awards and will look to add the backstroke world title to his collection in Mexico City in 2017.
Biography
Impairment information
Further personal information
Sport specific information
General interest
In 2017 he received the Order of Sports Merit Cheongnyong [Blue Dragon] Medal, the highest sports merit awarded by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in the Republic of Korea. (kyeonggi.com, 25 Oct 2017)
In 2015 he was presented with the President's Award by the Gyeonggi-Do Sports Association for the Disabled in the Republic of Korea. (gnews.gg.go.kr, 31 Dec 2015)
In 2013 he received the Korean Talent Prize from the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity [KOFAC]. (kyeongin.com, 19 Dec 2013)
He received the Best Para Athlete Award at the 2013 Gyeonggi Athletes Grand Awards Ceremony in the Republic of Korea. (kgnews.co.kr, 10 Dec 2013)
In 2012 he was given the Best Para Athlete Award by the Ansan Para Sports Association in the Republic of Korea. (gnews.gg.go.kr, 30 Dec 2015)
Results
Unit | Date | Rank |
---|
Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Men's 100 m Backstroke S14 | Heat 1 | 2012-08-31 | 1 | |
Men's 200 m Freestyle S14 | Heat 3 | 2012-09-02 | 7 |
Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Men's 200 m Freestyle S14 | Final 1 | 2013-08-12 | 6 | |
Men's 200 m Freestyle S14 | Heat 2 | 2013-08-12 | 5 | |
Men's 100 m Backstroke S14 | Final 1 | 2013-08-14 | 2 | |
Men's 100 m Backstroke S14 | Heat 1 | 2013-08-14 | 1 |
Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Men's 200 m Freestyle S14 | Final 1 | 2015-07-15 | 8 | |
Men's 200 m Freestyle S14 | Heat 1 | 2015-07-15 | 4 | |
Men's 100 m Backstroke S14 | Heat 2 | 2015-07-19 | 1 | |
Men's 100 m Backstroke S14 | Final 1 | 2015-07-19 | 2 |
Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Men's 100 m Backstroke S14 | Final Round | 2016-09-08 | 1 | |
Men's 100 m Backstroke S14 | Heat 2 | 2016-09-08 | 1 | |
Men's 200 m Freestyle S14 | Heat 3 | 2016-09-11 | 4 | |
Men's 200 m Individual Medley SM14 | Heat 2 | 2016-09-17 | 4 |
Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Men's 200 m Freestyle S14 | Final 1 | 2017-12-05 | 2 | |
Men's 100 m Backstroke S14 | Heat 2 | 2017-12-06 | 9999 | |
Men's 100 m Butterfly S14 | Final 1 | 2017-12-07 | 1 | |
Men's 100 m Butterfly S14 | Heat 2 | 2017-12-07 | 1 |