Winner of Juvenile Weightlifting Circles
Kim Kum Won, a member of the weightlifting group of the Rangnang District Extracurricular Sports School in the capital city of Pyongyang, has a dream to be an ace weightlifter in the future.
He has participated in the national sports contests of sports schools for three years and achieved good results in the men's 94-odd-kilogram weightlifting.
He took part in the contest for the first time in 2023 and bagged three silver medals at that time. But he won three gold medals each time at the contests held in 2024 and 2025, proving that his hope was not unfeasible.
Last year, in particular, he lifted 10 kilograms more in snatch and 30 kilograms more in clean and jerk than the runner-up, and thus came to be recognized as the winner of the heaviest category in the juvenile weightlifting circles.
In his childhood he was of bulky build. At the age of 11 he was selected as a member of the weightlifting group and started to learn basic techniques of weightlifting.
Unlike the collective events such as football and basketball, weightlifting was very simple and boring for him because he had to repeat movements in one place every day. But he never neglected training.
As he renewed his records day by day under the scientific guidance of his coach, Kim Kum Won was greatly interested in weightlifting and trained hard. That is how he became a heavyweight juvenile winner.
Coach O Kyong Jin said Kim Kum Won's special skill is the correct basic technical movements of weightlifting, and continued:
"Kim Kum Won is 16 years old now. His game records are good for his age.
Normally, a man weighing 90 kilograms looks heavy and is slow in movement. But Kim Kum Won is good at jerking and flexible.
He is promising as a weightlifter and it's possible for him to win fame, I think."
Experts express the expectation that Kim Kum Won is a promising reserve with good physical condition and high sense of playing.
Kim Kum Won has a dream to prove successful on the international arena.
"Seeing the players take the first place in the international games, I think of flying the flag of the DPRK. I will train harder and harder to realize my dream."
Kim Kum Won will demonstrate his ability again at the 62nd National Sports Contest of Sports Schools to be held soon.
Coach O Kyong Jin said Kim Kum Won's special skill is the correct basic technical movements of weightlifting, and continued:
"Kim Kum Won is 16 years old now. His game records are good for his age.
Normally, a man weighing 90 kilograms looks heavy and is slow in movement. But Kim Kum Won is good at jerking and flexible.
He is promising as a weightlifter and it's possible for him to win fame, I think."
Experts express the expectation that Kim Kum Won is a promising reserve with good physical condition and high sense of playing.
Kim Kum Won has a dream to prove successful on the international arena.
"Seeing the players take the first place in the international games, I think of flying the flag of the DPRK. I will train harder and harder to realize my dream."
Kim Kum Won will demonstrate his ability again at the 62nd National Sports Contest of Sports Schools to be held soon.