By Yoon Sojung

Pyeongchang is once again waiting for the birth of new sport stars.
The Paralympians in Pyeongchang are already heroes, as they've had to overcome their limits by participating in the events, and they're aiming for even more.

Among them, Korean ice hockey player Jung Seung Hwan and U.S. snowboarder Amy Purdy are two of the more widely recognized faces at the Games, acting as messengers of hope and inspiration on film and in TV shows. They are also some of the most promising athletes to watch at the PyeongChang Paralympics.

Jung lost his right leg when a heavy pipe fell on him at a construction site when he was 5-years-old.

However, the accident didn't dampen his love for sports. He enjoyed playing soccer and basketball while using an artificial leg.

He began to play ice sled hokey when he entered the college in 2004. Since then, in less than two years, he has fallen in love with the sport and trained extremely hard to become a member of the national ice hockey team.

Nicknamed the “Messi on ice” and “Rocket man,” speed is his strength.

Although having a slightly smaller frame than many other ice sled hockey players, Jung has explosive speed that enables him to nab the puck even if he's chasing an opponent.

In August 2009, the International Paralympic Committee named him its “athlete of the month.” In 2012, the Korean para ice hockey team won a silver medal at the IPC Ice Hockey World Cup. The team’s story has been featured in the film “Parallel,” released this past February, widening understanding of para ice hockey among many people.

Jung recalled his early life in a recent Facebook post. He said, “Before starting ice sled hockey at college, I never took on any challenge in my life. This first-ever courageous beginning made me become who I am today.”

“I will make my way toward the gold by proudly showing my amputated leg and riding the sled in the PyeongChang Paralympics.”



Amy Purdy is known for her samba with an industrial robot at the opening ceremony of the Rio Paralympics in Brazil in 2016. Now, she will begin her second medal hunt with a snowboard in Pyeongchang.

Purdy always loved snowboarding, but when she was 19, she suffered from Neisseria meningitis, a form of bacterial meningitis that turned her life upside down.

She lost her hearing in the left ear, and had the lower part of both legs amputated. She didn't fall into despair, however, and didn't give up. Backed with her family’s support, she found new hope on a snowboard.

Purdy was able to find prosthetic legs that were exactly the same size as her original legs, and which fit on a snowboard. Within two years after losing her legs, she made her way back to snowboarding.

Purdy won the bronze medal in the Sochi Paralympics in 2014. The same year, she showed off a wonderful dance with actor Derek Hough on the TV show “Dancing with the Stars” while wearing her artificial leg, winning a lot of attention from the media and the public.

Purdy has been actively making appearances in the media, such as on the “Oprah Winfrey Show” and even in a Super Bowl ad. She's living proof of “fighting the impossible.”

Purdy emphasizes the meaning of challenges and passion. Some of her words in her Instagram feed include, “If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl.”

She has also expressed her excitement and hope on Instagram on March 5 for her second Paralympic appearance in Pyeongchang. She said, “I can’t express how proud and excited I am to represent my 2nd Paralympic Games! Thank you to everyone for your support!”

arete@korea.kr