(Asiad) 2-time Asiad gold medalist Yeo proud of following her father's suit

NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 24 (Yonhap) -- With her gold medal in the women's vault in artistic gymnastics at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Thursday, Yeo Seo-jeong said she was proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with her father, legendary gymnast Yeo Hong-chul.

Yeo finished first with an average of 14.483 points in the event's final at Nagoya General Gymnasium in Nagoya, central Japan.

It was Yeo's second career Asian Games title in the women's vault, following her victory at the 2018 Asian Games.

She skipped the 2022 edition to focus on the world championships, where she became the first South Korean gymnast to earn a medal.

Adding her bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Yeo now stands alongside her father, who won two gold medals in the men's vault at the 1994 and 1998 Asian Games and a silver medal at the 1996 Olympics.

"Now I can stand alongside my father," Yeo said in a mixed-zone interview. "I'm so pleased that I'm walking on the same path with my father."

Following in the footsteps of a gymnast with multiple medals, who also happened to be her father, put considerable pressure on Yeo, who stood atop the podium in 2018 at just 16 years old.

"Eight years ago, I was a high school student and it was a surprise gold medal," she said. "This time, I know there are greater expectations on me and that gave me greater pressure."

Injuries also weighed heavily on Yeo on her way to Nagoya. She suffered a shoulder dislocation and finished seventh at the Paris Olympics, and she also struggled with an ankle injury afterward.

"It was so painful that I had to deal with two different injuries at the same time," she said. "After winning the gold medal here, I'm feeling that I was fully rewarded for my efforts."

Her Olympic and world championship medals, along with her experience overcoming injuries, have helped Yeo grow further and earn the trust of her father.

Eight years ago, when Yeo won her first Asian Games gold medal at the age of 16, her father cried out of nerves and happiness. This time, however, he smiled with tears in his eyes.

"He didn't cry?" Yeo said, smiling. "I think I was so young at that time, and now I'm grown up. That's the difference, I think."

She is now shifting her focus to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"I actually don't think about the time in two years," she said. "But I'll prepare for upcoming competitions and strive to train and deal with injuries."