The Korea Herald

Near-upset big confidence builder for Korean table tennis player

Olympic GamesAug 16, 2016

When South Korean table tennis player Jeoung Young-sik faced China's Zhang Jike in the men's team semifinals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics Monday, hardly anyone in the house figured Jeoung would put up much of a fight.After all, Jeoung came in ranked 12th in the world, while Zhang, the 2012 individual gold medalist and 2016 silver medalist, is world No. 4.The heavy underdog, however, pushed Zhang to the brink of defeat. Though Zhang ultimately won 3-2 (13-15, 13-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4) and China
Korea succumbs to China in men's team table tennis semis

Olympic GamesAug 16, 2016

South Korea fell to China in the semifinals of the men's table tennis team event at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Monday. Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldIn a rematch of the 2012 Olympic final, China defeated South Korea 3-0, winning the first two singles matches and then the doubles match to complete the shutout. Boasting three of the world's top four male players, China is going for a sweep of table tennis gold medals for the third straight Olympics.South Korea has been relegated to Wednesday's
Korean star makes hole-in-one in practice

Olympic GamesAug 16, 2016

South Korean star Park In-bee made a hole-in-one during Monday's practice round for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic women's golf tournament. Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldThe LPGA Hall of Famer, one of four South Koreans in the field for the women's tournament starting Wednesday, picked up the ace at the par-3, 177-yard sixth hole at the Olympic Golf Course."Hopefully, this hole-in-one will be a good omen for the actual tournament," Park told reporters after her round. "I haven't had a lot of aces ei
North Korean gymnast wins vault gold

Olympic GamesAug 16, 2016

North Korean gymnast Ri Se-gwang captured his first Olympic gold medal in the men's vault in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldThe two-time world champion scored an average of 15.691 points after two attempts to edge out Denis Abliazin of Russia, who had 15.516 points.Kenzo Shirai of Japan took the bronze medal at 15.449 points.Ri's gold medal came in the absence of the 2012 Olympic vault champion from South Korea, Yang Hak-seon. Yang sat out the Rio Games with an Achilles'
Rio gold medal journey, not destination, for Korean fencer

Olympic GamesAug 16, 2016

South Korean epee fencer Park Sang-young came out of blue to win the men's individual gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but the 20-year-old said the victory is just a part of his journey, not a destination.Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald"I think the gold medal represents the fruit of my hard work, but not necessarily a life goal," Park said Monday at a press conference for the South Korean media at the Korea House. "I think it's a part of the process that will take me to a bigger goal."I
Emotional badminton doubles duo admits to being outclassed in loss

Olympic GamesAug 16, 2016

Before the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Lee Yong-dae and Yoo Yeon-seong, the top-ranked tandem in men's badminton doubles, had played 662 matches together, winning 545 and losing 117.Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldAnd no loss stung quite like the one they suffered on Monday here in Brazil.The No. 12 team from Malaysia, Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong, upset the South Koreans 2-1 (17-21, 21-18, 21-19) at Riocentro-Pavilion 4. Lee and Yoo had gone 5-1 against them in the past.The South Koreans barely won
Top-ranked men's badminton duo shocked in quarters

Olympic GamesAug 16, 2016

The No. 1-ranked men's badminton duo of Lee Yong-dae and Yoo Yeon-seong suffered a shocking defeat in the quarterfinals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Monday. Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldThe 12th-ranked Malaysian team of Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong stunned the South Koreans 2-1 (17-21, 21-18, 21-19) at Riocentro-Pavilion 4, sending the gold medal favorites packing after just one knockout match.Lee and Yoo had been 5-1 against the Malaysians prior to the Rio Games.The South Koreans were com
Korean pair advances to badminton semis

Olympic GamesAug 16, 2016

The South Korean women's doubles pair of Jung Kyung-eun and Shin Seung-chan advanced to the semifinals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Monday. Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldJung and Shin defeated Eefje Muskens and Selena Peik of the Netherlands 2-1 (21-13, 20-22, 21-14). They will face Misaki Matsumoto and Ayaka Takahashi of Japan for a spot in the final.The South Koreans started out fast at Riocentro-Pavilion 4, opening up a 9-2 lead. Soon it was 18-9, with an array of winners and unforced er
Korean badminton duo eliminated in mixed doubles quarters

Olympic GamesAug 15, 2016

The South Korean mixed doubles badminton duo of Ko Sung-hyun and Kim Ha-na got knocked out in the quarterfinals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Sunday.Xu Chen and Ma Jin of China, ranked sixth in the world, defeated the No. 2-ranked South Koreans 2-0 (21-17, 21-18) to reach the final four at Riocentro-Pavilion 4. Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldKo and Kim had been 4-2 in their career against Xu and Ma before Sunday.The South Koreans were sloppy from the get-go as the Chinese charged out to an 8-
North Korean weightlifter wins silver

Olympic GamesAug 15, 2016

North Korean weightlifter Kim Kuk-hyang grabbed a silver medal in the women's +75 kilograms weight class at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Sunday.Kim lifted 131 kg to lead the field in snatch, and hoisted 175 kg in clean and jerk for 306 kg total. She finished 1 kg behind Meng Suping of China, who finished 1 kg behind Kim in snatch but lifted 177 kg in her final clean and jerk attempt for the gold. Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldSarah Elizabeth Robles was a distant third at 286 kg.Two South Korea
Lone Korean boxer loses in competition's 2nd round

Olympic GamesAug 15, 2016

Ham Sang-myeong, the lone South Korean boxer in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, lost in the second round of the men's bantamweight (56kg) class on Sunday.Ham lost to Zhang Jiawei of China in a unanimous decision. The score was 3-0 (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) for the Chinese. Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldHam initially came up short in the Olympic qualifying event but got his spot at the last minute when another boxer withdrew from the Rio Games.The South Korean boxer had defeated Zhang for the gold medal
Taekwondo title favorite says he's in peak form

Olympic GamesAug 15, 2016

The Olympic taekwondo title favorite Lee Dae-hoon on Sunday said he's never been in better form in his career.Lee and the rest of the South Korean taekwondo team arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, three days before the start of their competition at the ongoing Summer Games. They had been training in Sao Paulo for two weeks. Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldLee, a gold medal favorite in the 68kg, sounded confident ahead of his second Olympics."I am sure I can get better as I keep training, but I t
Korean wrestler Kim Hyeon-woo overcomes judging controversy to win bronze

Olympic GamesAug 15, 2016

South Korean Greco-Roman wrestler Kim Hyeon-woo grabbed bronze at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Sunday, overcoming a judging controversy in his first round defeat.Kim, the 2012 Olympic champion in 66kg, beat Bozo Starcevic of Croatia 6-4 in the 75kg bronze medal match. Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldKim had lost to Roman Vlasov of Russia in the round of 16, his first match of Sunday, by 7-5.Down 6-3 in the dying moments, Kim executed a move that he thought was worth four points. The referee inst
Korean men's golf coach glad he didn't have to play

Olympic GamesAug 15, 2016

Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldSouth Korean Olympic men's golf coach Choi Kyoung-ju once wished he could have played for the country himself in Rio de Janeiro.But after watching his two players battle through the windy conditions for four days, Choi said he's glad he didn't have to."Earlier in the season, I kept trying to make the team because I wanted to play in the Olympics myself," Choi told reporters at Olympic Golf Course, after An Byeong-hun and Wang Jeung-hun wrapped up their days. "There
Korean golfer gives himself '80 points' after solid showing

Olympic GamesAug 15, 2016

South Korean golfer An Byeong-hun gave himself "80 points" out of 100 after a solid showing at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic men's golf on Sunday.An finished his tournament at six-under 278 at par-71, 7,128-yard Olympic Golf Course. He shot a three-under 68 in the final round, which included two eagles. Park Hae-mook/The Korea HeraldAn finished tied for 11th with three other players, 10 behind the gold medalist, Justin Rose of Britain."Even though I didn't win a medal, I had a good experience here