Gamagori:Nagoya South Korea's teenage sailor Choi Ji-un achieved a significant milestone by securing the gold medal in the boys' dinghy event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. This victory makes him the youngest gold medalist in the South Korean delegation.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the 15-year-old triumphed at the Kaiyoh Yacht Harbor in Gamagori, located around 50 kilometers southeast of Nagoya. Choi's win marks the first time since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games that South Korea has claimed gold in a boys' sailing event.

The competition saw Goh Ian from Singapore clinch the silver medal, while Cheng de Villemor Salgado Tiago of Hong Kong took home the bronze. In the dinghy event, the sailors accumulate points based on their finishing positions and penalties, with the lowest total determining the winner. Participants can discard their worst two race scores after 12 races.

Choi was initially in fourth place after 10 races but surged to the top during the final two races. He secured first place in the 11th race and finished second in the last race, ending with 25 points overall, tying with Singapore's Goh. However, Choi won the tiebreaker due to higher finishes throughout the event.

Boys' and girls' dinghy events at the Asian Games aim to cultivate new talent in sailing. South Korea also claimed the gold medal in the men's dinghy event the previous day.

Expressing his joy, Choi described his final races as a "legend" and shared his delight in becoming the youngest gold medalist on the team. He recounted how, after his victory, his teammates, including men's dinghy gold medalist Ha Jee-min, celebrated by tossing him into the air. Despite initial doubts and tears, Choi's perseverance paid off, culminating in his impressive comeback.