Nagoya: It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a supportive, selfless mother to raise an Asian Games gold medalist. Just ask Lee Jun-suk, who captured the very first Asian Games gold medal in the men's singles teqball event in Nagoya on Sunday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee defeated Ali Jalil Mezher Alelayawi of Iraq 2-0 (12-11, 12-5) in the final at Nagoya City Higashi Sports Center in Nagoya, Japan. Teqball, a hybrid sport played on a curved table combining elements of football, table tennis, and sepaktakraw, among others, made its debut at these games.

Lee, 27, was once a football midfielder who played in the fourth division in South Korea in his early 20s. After his football career ended, he secured employment with LG Electronics. When he learned in February that teqball would be an Asian Games sport, he left his job to focus on training for the event.

Lee attributes his success to his mother, Yoon Soon-jeong, who supported his decision to pursue teqball. "She said, 'Do whatever you want to do but you have to do your best. I trust you,'" Lee shared. Her belief in his decision enabled him to reach this milestone.

Yoon invested in her son's aspirations by purchasing a teqball table for his training. "Jun-suk is such a good kid and he has his set of convictions," she remarked. "I wanted to support him to do whatever he liked to do." Yoon was so surprised by his advancement to the final that she had to cancel her flight home. "I am so proud of my son," she expressed.

In the final match, Lee overcame a 9-5 deficit to win the first set and had a smoother experience in the second set. Despite feeling nervous due to the stadium's atmosphere, Lee managed to rally and secure the victory.

Known for his enthusiastic celebrations during the competition, Lee intensified his displays during the final to maintain control and set the tone. "When I got to 11 points, I felt pretty sure I would win," he said, expressing joy at achieving his dream.