Son Yeon-jae hopes to win Olympic medal after 12 years of solid training

SEOUL: The London Olympics represent the culmination of 12 years of dedication for Son Yeon-jae, a South Korean rhythmic gymnast looking to win the country’s first medal in the discipline.

If she wins, the 18-year old who is a fluent Russian and English speaker, could become the next Korean sporting idol, following in the footsteps of figure skater Kim Yuna who wowed the country with her gold in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

“I am not yet the best in the world, although I am moving closer to it step by step as I planned to,” Yeon-jae told Reuters, sitting in front of a “no pain, no gain” banner hanging in her gym in the South Korean capital of Seoul.

Son, who is sponsored by South Korean electronics giant LG Electronics, currently ranks fifth in the world and has trained for competition since the age of

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