[National Sports Festival] Track and field 100m two-peat winner Joel Jin: "I have to go for three gold medals again this year!"

(SEOGWIPO=Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Song-ah = Namadi Joeljin (Yecheon County Office), the leading sprinter in Korean men's track and field, has expressed his determination to win multiple titles at the National Sports Festival once again in his "second year as a professional."

Namadi Joeljin finished first in the men's senior 100-meter final at the 107th National Sports Festival, held at the Seogwipo Gangchanghak Complex Stadium on the 18th, crossing the finish line in 10.35 seconds to claim the victory.

Having captured first place in the 100m at the National Sports Festival immediately upon entering the professional stage last year, he defended his top spot this year by once again showcasing his dominant form.

Following his victories in the under-18 boys' division when he was a high school sophomore and junior, he has now maintained his 100m supremacy in his respective division for four consecutive years.

Having worn the Taegeuk mark at last month's 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Namadi Joeljin achieved the highest finish among Korean athletes in the 100m by placing 4th, and teamed up with Seo Min-jun (Seocheon County Office), Lee Jae-sung (South Jeolla Gwangju City Hall), and Wiwesa Daniel Casama (Ansan City Hall) to win a bronze medal in the 400m relay.

Having gained invaluable experience at his very first Asian Games, he delivered a "golden sprint" worthy of expectations at the National Sports Festival, which he entered amidst heightened attention.

Meeting with Yonhap News after the 100m race, Namadi Joeljin evaluated himself, saying, "My body hasn't fully recovered since the Asian Games, but I tried to raise my condition as much as possible for this. Considering that, I think it was a safe and well-executed race."

He explained, "I can't say the record is satisfying, but because my condition wasn't very good, I trained with a greater focus on competing for ranking. Rather than increasing my training volume, I prepared by slightly reducing it and training to bring my body up without letting it deteriorate."

Admitting honestly, "Since I won the gold medal at last year's National Sports Festival, I had ambitions for this year as well," Namadi Joeljin smiled and said, "I am satisfied because I feel I showed the best I could through a calm race."

Namadi Joeljin will continue his races in the 200m on the 19th and the 400m relay on the 20th. Both are events in which he also hung gold medals around his neck last year.

"One of the major things I felt through the Asian Games was the importance of the ability to cope under worst-case conditions," Namadi Joeljin said, expressing his ambition: "I will challenge myself for three gold medals at this competition as well."