'Marathoner Battling Incurable Disease' Lee Bong-ju: "Weakness Is the Source of Growth"

Korean Military Sports Unit Lecture "Do Not Lose Your Initial Resolve"
Battling Rare Disease Muscle Dystonia for 3 Years

"National Marathoner" Lee Bong-ju, former director of the Korea Association of Athletics Federations, gave a special lecture at the Armed Forces Athletic Corps. Former director Lee delivered a lecture to the soldiers of the Armed Forces Athletic Corps on the theme of achieving dreams and vision.

Lee Bong-ju [Photo by Yonhap News]

On this day, Lee cited three secrets learned from experience to achieve dreams and vision: ▲ Believe in the power of rules ▲ Keep a pacemaker in life by your side ▲ Master how to overcome dead points.

Lee said, "I had many handicaps such as an unfavorable flat foot and late start in marathon running, but I did not despair in reality," adding, "As a result, these weaknesses became the driving force for my growth."

He continued, "Everyone has uphill and downhill paths in life, but it is important to complete the course at your own pace and direction when passing through those paths."

He also advised, "Do not lose your initial intention and overcome critical moments and crises with role models, rivals, and mentors."

This special lecture was held with about 300 soldiers of the Athletic Corps gathered, and it was arranged to encourage junior soldiers as the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games approached in about 60 days.

[Photo by Ministry of National Defense]

Lee retired after recording achievements such as a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, gold medals at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games and 2002 Busan Asian Games, and winning the 2001 Boston Marathon. In 2009, he received the Cheongryong Medal, the highest grade of the Sports Medal.

Regarded as a legendary marathoner following Son Ki-jung and Hwang Young-jo, he was revealed to be battling illness when a photo of him in a wheelchair with a bent back was made public in 2021. Lee, who underwent surgery for over six hours due to a spinal cyst, has been fighting a rare incurable disease called dystonia for three years.

Dystonia is a disorder in which the central nervous system, which regulates muscle contraction and tension, malfunctions, causing muscles to become excessively stiff and the body to twist and turn. It is a disease where muscles move involuntarily due to problems in the command system transmitting signals from the brain nerves to the muscles.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.