Park Sang-young, an Olympic gold medalist in men's individual epee in Rio de Janeiro, donated W22 million to give a scholarship to budding athletes in need (US$1=W1,211).

His scholarship will be used for five prospects in track and field, baseball, golf, and fencing, and the fencing teams in the secondary schools he graduated from in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province.

Park had a financially difficult upbringing, and he was able to become the elite athlete he is today thanks to over W20 million in scholarships from ChildFund Korea.

His "can-do" spirit enabled him to overcome a massive deficit and display a dramatic comeback in the final at Rio to grab the gold medal. His inspiring performance captivated the Korean audience.

Park and his mother wanted to use some of the prize money and earnings from advertisements for a meaningful cause, and they recently chose a scholarship.

"I'm glad that I am able to pass on the help I received to younger athletes," Park said. "I want to be an athlete who is a good influence."

