As far as the Paralympics is concerned, the saying ‘life begins at 40’ could easily be applied to Young Dae Joo. The Republic of Korean Para table tennis star, now 51, first picked up a paddle competitively in 2003, about 10 years after he started using a wheelchair following a traffic accident.
And more than 20 years later, he is preparing to win his second Paralympic gold medalat Paris 2024, his third Games.
“After I was injured, I was in despair and did nothing, and stayed at home,” Joo explained. “Then, by chance a welfare centre for the disabled opened in my area so I started playing table tennis as a rehabilitation sport, which was a turning point in my life.
“Before the accident my major (at Gyeongsang National University) was physical education and that’s why I was confident in sports. I only started learning table tennis for the first time after my injury, but I think it helped that I played tennis well before getting hurt.”
Despite his obvious talent for racquet sports, Joo was pursuing a career in web design but was encouraged to take table tennis more seriously by Chang-Joo Moon, known as the ‘Godfather of Para table tennis’ in Korea, where he was the head coach of the national team at the Paralympic Games in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
“Coach Moon is the person who first introduced me to Para table tennis and I still receive a lot of advice and guidance from him to this day,” Joo said. “While working at the local Table Tennis Association for the Disabled, I realised my dream of becoming a Paralympic player. I realised that I should do it professionally as well when I participated in the Korea Open international competition in Incheon in 2013.”
Double silver in Rio to gold in Tokyo
After participating in the Asian Para Games in 2014 and Asian Championships in 2015, Joo’s first major tournament outside his home continent would be the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
He made quite the impression, too, picking up silver medals in the men's team classes 1-2 tournament and men's singles class 1 event.
“Two silver medals in my first Paralympic Games were very positive but it is still disappointing that I got a silver medal in single events,” Joo said.
Indeed, having defeated London 2012 gold medallist Holger Nikelis of Germany in the preliminary stages, Joo was confident of topping the podium – perhaps too confident.
“I was confident because it was my first time participating in the Paralympic Games, but I was so nervous that I lost the final [to Great Britain’s Robert Davies], which remains a regrettable memory.”
The cloud of a silver rather than a gold medal came with a silver lining, however.
“After the Rio Paralympic Games, the perception of Para table tennis in Korea changed a lot,” he explained. “Although the base was weaker than table tennis for non-disabled people, the number of table tennis players with disabilities has increased significantly since then.”
Topping the podium in Tokyo
Bigger playing numbers has led to greater success. At Tokyo 2020 – delayed by a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic – Republic of Korea claimed 13 medals compared to eight at Rio 2016.
Having improved to No.1 in the world rankings in 2017 and claimed silver at the World Championships a year later, Joo was expected to challenge for gold. Perversely, though, his own expectations were lower than they had been before Rio.
He explained why: “Because I got sick two weeks before competing in Tokyo and was hospitalised for about a week. However, it seems that clearing my mind and playing the game brought good results.”
It was during this anxious wait to see if he could compete in Tokyo that years of mental preparation really came into their own.
“I was worried I couldn’t exercise due to Covid-19 but I controlled my mind by consistently studying psychology,” Joo said. “Because of Covid, I spent a lot of time at home so I really read a lot of psychological books, which helped a lot in relieving tension.
“Since I play table tennis so honestly, I have my own routine and focus on mind control when playing, having continued practising repeatedly to correct bad habits.”
At Japan's Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Joo needed five games to win his quarterfinal 3-2 before sweeping compatriot Nam Ki-won in the semifinals. He set up a gold-medal match against another fellow countryman, Kim Hyeon-uk, in a repeat of the 2018 World Championship final.
This time it was Joo who came out on top.
“When I got the gold medal, my parents were so happy that they cried,” Joo, who keeps his prize at home in a cabinet, said. “I was moved to tears too.
“There was a lot of pressure between me and Kim because we had played many games together, but since it was Kim’s first time playing at the Paralympics, I think he felt more pressure than me.”
Chasing dreams in Paris, LA and beyond
With Tokyo 2020 taking place largely in front of empty arenas, Joo admitted it was “very quiet”. He added: “I hope that many spectators will come and experience the charm of Para table tennis in Paris.
“My only goal is to get a gold medal. I want to win the Paralympic Games two times in a row.”
And then?
“I can’t guarantee how long I will continue but if I can, I would like to participate in LA (2028) as my last event.”
Joo will be 55 by then and admits his approach to training is changing as he gets older.
“I am focusing on acquiring detailed skills while reducing the intensity of training,” he said. “I am also sticking to a protein diet.”
And when he does finally hang up his paddle, the man who – according to his mentor Moon – is a ‘national treasure’ may even return to life before table tennis.
“If I want to go back, I want to go back to the time when I dreamed of becoming a physical education teacher, a dream that never came true.
“I also want to provide guidance to people with disabilities in my hometown…a leader who feels comfortable as a friend and role-model for the players.”
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