LONDON (Yonhap News) ― On his way to capturing the gold medal in men’s 66-kilogram Greco-Roman wrestling, Kim Hyeon-woo encountered his share of challenges, both mentally and physically.

Less than 24 hours removed from his first gold, the 23-year-old said Wednesday he never backed away from them.

Kim beat Tamas Lorincz of Hungary for the gold, which was South Korea’s first Olympic wrestling title in eight years.

The South Korean competed with only one eye open, as his right eye was virtually swollen shut from contacts he’d made in earlier bouts.

At a press conference for South Korean journalists, Kim said he also had a mental burden as he took to the mat.

“Back at the Beijing Olympics (in 2008), we didn’t win any wrestling gold medals, and it created a negative air around the whole sport,” Kim said. “So there was pressure on this year’s delegation to try to win gold here. But I tried to turn that into motivation and it really drove me hard at the Olympics.”

Kim said he couldn’t see out of his right eye starting in the semifinals, but it was his mental fortitude that helped him get through the trouble.

“We really had hellish training,” Kim said. “Not a day went by when we didn’t feel some sort of pain. But I tried to relish that experience. It helped me gain not only physical but mental strength, and that’s really what got me through that eye injury.”

Kim was one of the Greco-Roman wrestlers expected to contend for the title. But teammates Choi Gyu-jin and Jung Ji-hyun, competing before Kim in lighter weight classes, both fell short of a medal.

Kim said he felt disappointed about his teammates and had to work to stay focused on his own task.

“I felt like I was left alone out there, trying to salvage the Olympics for the whole wrestling team,” Kim said. “I was down for a bit when those guys were eliminated early. But I realized it was my job to go for the gold anyway, and I had to really focus. I wanted to win one for my teammates.”