Seoul National University of Education (President Lim Chae-sung) won the overall title at the 11th National Intercollegiate Track and Field Championships.
Seoul Kogyo finished with 101 points overall, thanks to solid performances across all events, including a runner-up finish in the men’s 1,500 meters (4:32.51) by junior Seung-jun Ko, captain of the track and field team, at the event, which concluded on Sept. 9 at Seocheon Sports Complex in Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea.
Seoul Gyodae was followed by Jinju Gyodae (81 points) as runner-up and Chuncheon Gyodae (47 points) finished third overall.
The competition was characterized by the active participation of students in the College of Education.
After graduation, they will be appointed as elementary school teachers and teach athletics as a basic sport. The participating university students have been training as part of their curriculum, and they also experienced a good experience as future educators by watching unemployed adult athletes competing together.
The track events included the 100m, 400m, 400m relay, 800m mixed relay, women’s 800m, and men’s 1,500m, while the field events included the long jump, high jump, and shot put for both men and women.
“From my freshman year to now, I’ve been training steadily to win in track and field. I played my first game as captain. There was a lot of pressure to show something, and I felt sorry for my teammates because we only came in second place.” “I would like to congratulate all of my fellow athletes who performed well and thank them from the bottom of my heart.”
Professor Kim Bang-chul of Seoul National University of Education said, “The overall victory of the track and field team is the result of all the athletes’ personal time and training. I am truly grateful to the athletes for their hard work.”
Prof. Kim founded the Seoul Gyodae Athletics Club in 2012 to help future teachers, who will be responsible for guiding elementary school students to grow up properly, become physically and mentally fit.
In 2013, he spearheaded the first National Education University Athletics Competition, and now pre-service teachers across the country are laying the groundwork for fostering athletic talent in Korean society.
“When I was studying abroad in the United States, I was envious of the environment and mindset of American students, who could play sports whenever they had time,” Kim said. “Students who are good at sports, not just studying, are taking the lead in American society.
Kim emphasizes the importance of sports experience for prospective teachers. “Watching elite athletes from an early age can reduce the fear of certain sports and create a positive culture around sports, such as talking to each other about the game. This culture can also be created through students who become elementary school teachers, and it will be the foundation for the development of athletics in Korea.”메이저놀이터
Dr. Kim has served as a member of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) School Sports Commission, a member of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) Technical Commission, and the International Commissioner and Leadership Development Commissioner of the Korean Athletics Federation.
Meanwhile, the National Intercollegiate Athletics Competition will be reorganized and held twice a year, in spring and fall, instead of once a year. (Courtesy of Yoo Bum-jin, Vice President, Korea University Athletics Federation)