The gymnast they call the “God of Vault” will be going after his second straight Asian Games gold when the continental competition opens next month in Incheon.

Yang Hak-seon, the reigning Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion in the men’s vault, first shot to fame by winning the vault title at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

It was Yang’s first gold medal at a major international competition at the senior level. He went on to win his first world title in Tokyo the following year, and rode the momentum to a historic gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Yang was the first South Korean to win an Olympic gold in gymnastics.

The classic rags-to-riches story centered on his family ― his parent moved out of their vinyl greenhouse of a home to a new apartment after London ― also endeared Yang to the public.

The freckle-faced Yang didn’t let his newfound wealth and fame get to him and successfully defended his world title in 2013 in Antwerp, Belgium. He became the seventh man to win back-to-back vault titles in the championships’ 79-year history.

The 21-year-old has won his Olympic gold and the two world titles with a move named after himself, Yang 1, or the front handspring entry with three twists. Yang has since outdone himself, winning an international competition called the Korea Cup in April this year with Yang 2, with a sideway handspring entry and an extra half twist to Yang 1.

Yang said he knows nailing Yang 2 will be the key to his title defense in Incheon and said he’s confident he will be able to execute it as long as his body holds up.

The biggest threat to Yang is expected to be the 29-year-old North Korean gymnast Ri Se-gwang, the vault champ at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, and one of the most accomplished gymnasts in Asia before Yang came along.

Yang said he isn’t fazed at all by the upcoming competition.

“I know I am expected to win the gold but I don’t feel any pressure,” he said. “If I don’t win the gold, I will be more upset with myself than anyone else.” (Yonhap)