It is hard to miss South Korea’s Yun Sung-Bin. The skeleton competitor is on the verge of making history in his home country, and he is doing it in style. Sung-Bin is known for his signature Iron Man helmet, and he could soon be in the record books as the first South Korean to win an Olympic medal in a sliding sport (skeleton, luge or bobsled). Sung-Bin spoke with Reuters about the inspiration for his comic book helmet.
“The way people ride skeleton is similar to the way Iron Man flies,” Yun told Reuters. “He’s also my favorite character, and that’s why I wear him on my helmet.”
Sung-Bin has been successful at doing his best Iron Man impersonation as the Olympian set a track record in PyeonChang in his second heat, and is the favorite to win the gold medal. Sung-Bin’s intrigue over Iron Man is not a new obsession. Childhood friend Kim Joon-ho told Reuters Sung-Bin had the same interest when the two were growing up.
“He has loved Ironman since he was young, he’s his role model,” Joon-ho explained to Reuters. “He’s called Ironman because he’s so fast.”
According to NBC Sports, Sung-Bin was .74 seconds faster than the field on his initial day of competition. Even competitors are openly predicting he will win gold.
“I think it would be more of a surprise if he didn’t win a gold,” the United States’ John Daly admitted to The Japan Times.
Ghana’s Akwasi Frimpong has been no match for Sung-Bin on the track, but his helmet comes pretty close.
Akwasi Frimpong, Ghana’s first Olympic skeleton slider, is bringing the FIERCE with that 🔥 helmet.
Read more: t.co/gan8Iysl63
Heading into the Olympics, Sung-Bin appeared confident that he could perform up to expectations.
“I do believe that if I focus on what I should do, then everything will come out great,” Bin told NBC Sports.
After his record-breaking performance, Sung-Bin assured fans he is capable of even better runs.
“I didn’t show 100 percent, so I will show 100 percent [in final run],” Sung-Bin told The Japan Times. NBC Sports explained that Sung-Bin does not just have an affinity for Iron Man, it is an obsession.
Korean skeleton star Yun Sungbin is absolutely obsessed with Iron Man. He collects the figurines. He’s seen the movies. He knows every aspect of the superhero’s story.
Some even call him Iron Man. He may be called Gold Man soon.
Sung-Bin emerged onto the skeleton scene after winning the 2017 World Cup last November, and giving South Korea the country’s first World Cup win ever in 2016.
Sung-Bin’s coach Lee Yong spoke to The Korean Times about his potential.
“I am so confident that Yun can win a skeleton medal in the Olympics, but the Olympic gold is not decided by the athlete’s performance,” Yong told The Korean Times. He can be affected by the weather and his physical condition. I just told Yun that we have to prepare for the Olympics as we planned.”
Regardless of how he finishes the Olympics, Sung-Bin has already won the internet thanks to his Iron Man helmet. Who wore it better Robert Downey Jr. or Yun Sung-Bin? Tell us in the comments section.
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Yun Sung-Bin’s Iron Man Helmet: Korean Lights Up Skeleton Ice