In 2016, In received the Best Athlete of the Year Award from the Daegu Sports Council ©Getty Images

Cancer survivor, In Kyo-don, hopes that he has inspired other people who are battling the disease after winning a bronze medal in taekwondo at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The South Korean was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2014 at the age of 22.

He returned to competition the following year and was declared cancer free in the summer of 2019.

The taekwondo athlete beat Ivan Konrad Trajkovic of Slovenia 5-4 in the men's over-80kg bronze medal match at Tokyo 2020.

"Back then, I couldn't even think about the word 'Olympics'," In said as reported by Yonhap News Agency.

"I've come a long way to grab this Olympic medal.

"I hope that people who are battling cancer will draw inspiration from what I did."

In Kyo-don lost 12-6 to North Macedonian Dejan Georgievski in his semi-final at Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images
In Kyo-don lost 12-6 to North Macedonian Dejan Georgievski in his semi-final at Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images

"Though I lost in the semi-finals, I gave it everything I had.

"I have no regrets."

In made his Olympic debut at 29 years old and said he cherishes his medal that much more.

"I am not a young pup, and I've had some serious injuries," he said.

"I am not going to be doing this for very long."

In was one of South Korea's 20 medallists in Japan and one of three taekwondo athletes in the delegation who earned a medal.

He also won a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Championships in the over-87kg category as well as in the over-80kg tournament of the 2019 World Taekwondo Grand Prix.