I realized that no matter how good the exercise is when operating a training center, proper nutrition management is necessary to achieve good performance.
This is the background of Shin Hajong, the representative of Ascent Sports, entering the sports supplement business. Shin, who holds a master's degree in physical education from Korea University, established a training center in 2017. Since then, he has trained national representatives and professional athletes in various sports, including soccer, basketball, and baseball. The goal has been to enhance their athletic abilities. In this process, Shin realized that physical training alone cannot create the best body, and that the role of supplements is important.
In 2020, Shin founded Ascent Sports and stepped into the sports supplement business. After about a year of research and development, he introduced a personalized sports supplement based on biometric information called 'Ultimate Potential.' This was developed with the participation of experts such as sports nutrition professors, doctors, pharmacists, as well as sport-specific trainers and coaches in soccer, basketball, and other sports.
Currently, national representatives and professional athletes are manufacturing products tailored to individual requests. For recreational athletes, products are manufactured and sold based on the best conditions for performance in various sports like running and weight training, as well as before and after exercise.
Shin noted, "At the time of the founding in 2020, both recreational athletes and professional athletes had a somewhat low understanding of sports nutrition intake," adding, "Now, awareness is growing that supplements can elevate performance."
Shin emphasizes that supplements play a role of 50-60% in enhancing an athlete's individual abilities. "For athletes whose skill level has reached a certain point, body management is crucial, and supplements account for more than half of that. Especially as time goes on, the difference between taking supplements and not taking them increases even more."
Currently, Ultimate Potential is consumed by not only the Korean national teams in soccer and basketball but also professional athletes in various sports including baseball. It has also been sold to the Ulsan HD professional soccer team.
Shin mentioned the Korean U-24 soccer national team, which won a gold medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, as the team that achieved the best results while taking Ultimate Potential.
Ascent Sports has also expanded into overseas markets. The national teams of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam have consumed Ultimate Potential. The company is in the process of establishing a corporation in Singapore and strengthening its business in Southeast Asia. It aims to enter the U.S. market afterward. Ascent Sports has been recognized for its growth potential and has raised a cumulative investment of 1.3 billion won.
Shin stated, "Our goal is to lead the global sports nutrition market dominated by the U.S. and Japan," adding, "I believe that not only professional athletes but also recreational athletes worldwide who enjoy sports can take Ultimate Potential and achieve their best performance."