Vegans Are Cool - Meet the Junior Game Changer in Korea

Have you ever lifted or moved an object weighing 69kg? It’s like lifting about 510 apples or two 10-year-old friends at the same time. Ha-rang won three gold medals in the 49kg weightlifting class at the national competition on July 16, 2020, with 59kg in the snatch and 69kg in the clean and jerk, 128kg total, the best record of them all. Ha-rang also won the Best Player Award on that day.

It appeared that Ha-rang won the gold medal in the national competition with only one year of training! What is her secret? “I didn’t like that animals are in pain, and I feel their pain, so I’ve been on a vegan diet. Benefits of being vegan? As an athlete, I can tell you many, for example, better stamina than other players.”

Harang’s mother, who has always stood by her side, shared with us her daughter’s amazing growth. “The gymnastics coach told me that he had a lot of doubt about Ha-rang’s capabilities because she didn’t eat meat. However, her muscle elasticity and skills were never behind others. On the contrary, she became better than other kids. So, the teachers changed to support her and encouraged her vegan diet.”

Ha-rang is indeed a Junior Game Changer in the sports arena in Korea. “I replaced pork cutlet with soy cutlet for her lunch box, and replaced Jjajang with vegan Jjajang, for example, to be as similar as possible. So that she can get along well with other kids during the mealtime.”

“Another surprise came from the nutritionist of the school. She wanted to reduce the meat for the children’s sake, and she found Ha-rang and believed she is a good role-model for it. Thankfully, the school meals menu really changed pretty much after that.” Together, the mother and daughter have brought positive changes to the school and are making vegan food more available to other kids. Ha-rang is one of the living proofs that a vegan diet can bring great physical benefits and even a competitive edge for athletes.