On September 20, at Higashi Nagoya Arena, Lee Jun-seok defeated Ali Jalil Mezher Al-Leyawi (Iraq) with a score of 2-0 (12-11, 12-5) in the men's singles teqball final.
The victory helped Lee Jun-seok become the first athlete to win a gold medal in men's singles teqball in ASIAD history. This is also the third gold medal of the Korean sports delegation at ASIAD 20.
Teqball was first included in the official competition program of ASIAD Aichi-Nagoya 2026. For Lee Jun-seok, this victory marks the result of a journey of many sacrifices.
Lee Jun-seok played football from a young age and played in the K4 League for a time. Later, he switched to Jokgu - a sport that combines football and volleyball before knowing teqball.
When teqball was included in the ASIAD 2026 program, Lee Jun-seok was working as a contract worker at a large corporation and was facing the opportunity to become a full-time employee. However, he decided to quit his job to focus on pursuing the goal of winning a ASIAD spot.
The preparation path for Korean athletes is also not favorable. Because the Korean Teqball Association does not yet belong to the official sports system, athletes cannot use the Jincheon National Training Center. The team must rent their own training locations, and at times have to train outdoors in rainy and sunny conditions.
In April 2026, Lee Jun-seok continued to spend his own money to go to Hungary to learn techniques. He actively contacted a Hungarian athlete through social networks for guidance, thereby improving techniques to create swirling and strong headers.
In the final, Lee Jun-seok did not start well when he was down 0-3. When his opponent took a 9-5 lead, the Korean athlete gradually regained his focus, scoring consecutive points to surpass 10-9 before winning the first set with a score of 12-11.
In the second set, Lee Jun-seok continued to maintain the initiative. From the score of 3-2, he took advantage of the opponent's mistakes to create a 6-2-fold gap. The Korean athlete then controlled the game and won 12-5, thereby completing a 2-0 victory.
Immediately after winning the gold medal, Lee Jun-seok burst into tears holding the Korean national flag. This moment closed the 25-year-old athlete's difficult preparation journey.
South Korea participates in 3 teqball events at ASIAD 20 including men's singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles. Lee Tae-bin - Lee Jun-seok's teammate in men's doubles - has also quit his jewelry design job to pursue the goal of winning a ASIAD spot.
Before the tournament, Lee Jun-seok once shared that if he wins a medal, his biggest wish is to take his mother on a trip. After a period of harsh training, he wants to spend about a week resting to have more time with his mother.
