The past month ended in 34 seconds, but the future of women’s basketball did not lose its smile

The Korean U18 women’s team finished fourth in the ‘2024 FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup’ held in Shenzhen, China on the 24th. The future of Korean women’s basketball succeeded in advancing to the semifinals, which was their goal, by sweating on the court for about a month from the beginning to the end of the competition. As a result, the team earned a berth to the 2025 U19 Basketball World Cup.

However, guard Jeong Chae-won (174 centimeters, senior at Bundang Management High School), who was listed as the starting player at the match against Taiwan, the first game of the championship, showed tears due to knee injury while playing defense. Eventually, Jeong returned to Korea early, and the month he prepared with his teammates ended in just 34 seconds.

Since then, Jung has visited the airport to greet the national team on the first day when the team returned home. The team also has his younger brother, Jeong Chae-ah (177 cm, Bundang Management High School 2). “I came here to see my younger brother and my teammates, and the coach and the coach,” Jung said.

He was more regretful than anyone else, but he looked more comfortable. “Honestly, I was upset and sad. I had a hard time working out for a month, but I couldn’t run for 40 seconds and got hurt. It hurt for a short time, but it was harder for me to get off the court with regret and upset than pain,” he said. 동행복권파워볼

When she started playing basketball, Jeong consistently made her name known as a rising star in women’s basketball. However, she never played with the national team. She swallowed up her regret due to an injury while preparing for the U16 national team.

“I don’t think I’m lucky overseas,” smiling, Jeong said. “I got hurt in Taiwan last year as well as during the U16. I don’t think I have any relationship with foreign countries. I think I’ve failed this time. I think there will be better things to come in the future.”

The injury is fatal to high school senior Chung Chae-won, who is about to draft the WKBL. Nevertheless, his colleagues were able to talk with a smile like this.

“I got hurt in China and everyone around me took really good care of me, including the coach and the coach,” Jeong said. “I got better thanks to my teammates. My teammates prepared me a surprise letter gave me strength,” Jeong said. “I got hurt at an important time, but I will do my best to rehabilitate and improve my physical condition. I want to prepare well so that I can be selected for the U19 national team with my friends as well as the draft.”