“They never had a gold” - Ben An's details unique reason why he wants to win at the 2024 Olympics
South Korean golfer Ben An is gearing up to compete at the Paris Olympics 2024 this week and recently shared a unique reason for wanting to win a gold medal at the games. Ben An will be joined by fellow countryman Tom Kim as they aim to secure the first gold medal in golf for South Korea.
An has a deep connection with the Olympics, as both of his parents were Olympians. His father, Ahn Jae-Hyung, represented Korea at the 1988 Olympics and won a bronze medal, while his mother, Jiao Zhimin, won silver and bronze medals in table tennis.
With his parents' impressive Olympic history, Ben An hopes to continue their legacy by winning a medal in golf this year. In his recent interview, An said that although his parents have won silver and bronze medals, their family has yet to claim gold. He is determined to achieve that milestone at the 2024 Olympics.
“It’s always been my dream to win a medal in the Olympics, and I’ve probably watched the Olympics more than any other golfers, than anybody else growing up I guess, my parents being Olympians. Hopefully I get some kind of medal, hopefully gold because they never had a gold," Ben An said (via Golf Week).
Ben An has had a decent season on the PGA Tour this year, giving him a solid chance to secure a medal at the Olympics. Notably, this will be the fifth time in the game's history that golf is included. In the previous event held in Tokyo, Xander Schauffele won the gold medal for the USA.
What are Ben An's odds to win gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Ben An has a decent chance of winning gold for his country at the Paris Olympics 2024. According to CBS Sports, his odds of winning are +5000. His fellow countryman Tom Kim has better odds of +2000.
In 2024, Ben An has played in 19 events on the PGA Tour and recorded five top-10 finishes, missing only four cuts. He has been impressive so far and has his eyes set on winning a medal at the Olympics, hoping to make his mark.
Speaking about the Olympics, Ben An said (via Golf Week):
We’ve never had a Korean golfer win a medal, so I think it would be very big to put one of our names on that history as part of it. If one of us can have a gold medal and put ourselves up there on the podium it would be good for our country. t would be huge for not only our country but golf in Asia, I think if we can somehow do something like that would be very big.”
The men's golf event at the 2024 Paris Olympics will follow a 72-hole stroke play format. It will start on Thursday, August 1, and conclude on Sunday, August 4.