The Korea Herald

Korea tempers Rio expectations

Olympic GamesApr 27, 2016

Korean athletes are aiming for more than 10 gold medals at the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August.　“In 100 days, the efforts made by our Olympic athletes will bear fruit. The Korean Olympic Committee will spare no efforts in supporting our athletes to achieve a top 10 place in the Olympic Games,” said Kim Jeong-haeng, president of the KOC, at a news conference held at the Korea National Training Center in Seoul on Wednesday. 　A total of 230 athletes in 27 fields a
Korea eyes another strong Olympic performance at Rio 2016

Olympic GamesApr 27, 2016

South Korea marked the 100-day countdown to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics Wednesday with a pledge to put on another strong performance in the medal race.Sports officials and national team athletes who gathered at the National Training Center in northern Seoul for an open house event all expressed their desire to accomplish a common goal: finishing in the top 10 in medals for the fourth consecutive Olympics with at least 10 gold medals."I am certain that all the hard work put in by our
Park Tae-hwan wins 400m freestyle with 4th best time of season

More sportsApr 27, 2016

Former Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan collected his third gold medal in a local competition Wednesday with the fourth best time of the season in the men's 400-meter freestyle as he continues to rally in his first competitive swimming in 18 months. At the 88th Dong-A Swimming Competition in Gwangju, some 330 kilometers south of Seoul, Park finished first in the 400m free with a time of 3 minutes, 44.26 seconds. It was his third gold medal in the competition at the Nambu University Intern
Seoul to celebrate 100-day countdown to Rio Olympics by lighting

Olympic GamesApr 27, 2016

Seoul will mark the 100-day countdown to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics on Wednesday by illuminating its landmark tower in the Brazilian colors, the South American country's mission here said.The Brazilian Embassy said N Seoul Tower on Mount Namsan in central Seoul will be lit up in yellow and green from 6:30 p.m. to midnight.The embassy said landmark monuments in major cities around the world will also be illuminated in those Brazilian colors.This year's Olympics will be held on Aug. 5
Park Tae-hwan captures his second gold in local swimming

More sportsApr 26, 2016

Former Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan captured his second gold medal in a local competition Tuesday as he continues to display solid performance after an 18-month exile from competitive swimming. At the 88th Dong-A Swimming Competition in Gwangju, some 330 kilometers south of Seoul, Park finished first among eight swimmers in the 200-meter freestyle final with a time of 1 minute 46.31 seconds. Former Olympics swimming champion Park Tae-hwan. (Yonhap)It was his second gold medal in the
Korea will play every football match like it‘s final in Rio: coach

Olympic GamesApr 26, 2016

South Korea will play every match at the 2016 Olympic men's football tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, like it is their final one, the team's head coach said Tuesday.At a press conference in Seoul marking the 100-day countdown to their first match in Rio, Shin Tae-yong said South Korea will seek to match the country's bronze medal-winning performance at the London Olympics four years ago. It was the country's first-ever medal in Olympic football."I will not say at this moment that we can col
Park Tae-hwan wins race in long-awaited return

More sportsApr 25, 2016

Former Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan won a race in his first competition in nearly 18 months on Monday.　Park captured the men‘s 1,500m freestyle race at the 88th Dong-A Swimming Competition in Gwangju, some 330 kilometers south of Seoul. He clocked 15 minutes and 10.95 seconds. He was nearly 15 seconds faster than the runner-up, Park Seok-hyun.　It was Park’s first competitive appearance since the National Sports Festival in November 2014. Park served an 18-month international doping su
Olympic skating champ Lee Sang-hwa named PyeongChang 2018 honorary ambassador

Olympic GamesApr 25, 2016

Two-time Olympic speed skating champion Lee Sang-hwa was appointed honorary ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games on Monday.At a press conference in Seoul, Lee said she was honored to take the role in which she will promote South Korea's first Winter Olympic Games. "I will put my best effort forward to promote the PyeongChang Games as an ambassador and show a good performance as a skater," she said. Lee is the 16th honorary spokesperson for the Winter Games to be held in PyeongChang,
Rio Olympics 100 days away with Korea eyeing top-10 finish

Olympic GamesApr 25, 2016

The Summer Olympic Games will take place in South America for the first time this year, as Rio de Janeiro in Brazil will host the 31st edition of the quadrennial competition.The countdown to the Aug. 5-21 Rio Games will reach 100 days Wednesday.The Olympic organizers expect to host 10,500 athletes from 206 countries. Over 17 days, they will take part in 42 sports, including two new additions, golf and rugby.Rio says 32 competition venues will be spread across four regions of the host city: Deodo
Nat'l training center chief calls for public support for Olympic athletes

Olympic GamesApr 25, 2016

As the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro approaches, the head of the country's top training ground called for more public support for Olympic athletes.Choi Jong-sam, who oversees the National Training Center in Seoul, told Yonhap News Agency last week that the athletes gearing up for the Aug. 5-21 event will feed off the energy of enthusiastic fans."There's nothing better than the people's support and backing to boost morale for our athletes," Choi said. "If the country can rally around these
FIFA president to visit Korea next week

SoccerApr 22, 2016

FIFA President Gianni Infantino will visit South Korea next week to meet with corporate sponsors of the international football governing body, a source close to the matter told Yonhap News Agency Friday.According to the source, Infantino will arrive in Seoul Wednesday and is expected to visit the headquarters of Hyundai Motor Group before leaving the country Thursday. This is Infantino's first visit to South Korea since he was elected FIFA's president in February.Industry insiders expect Infanti
Korean Jang Ha-na withdraws from LPGA event with anemia, insomnia

GolfApr 22, 2016

South Korean golfer Jang Ha-na withdrew from an LPGA Tour event in San Francisco Thursday with symptoms of insomnia and anemia, her Seoul-based agency said.Jang, a two-time winner this season and world No. 8, pulled out during the first round of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic. An official at her agency, Sportizen, said since the JTBC Founders Cup tournament in mid-March, Jang had been suffering from blurred vision, dizziness and vomiting, and had also experienced trouble sleeping."She was trea
Korean footballer named to English league's Team of the Year

SoccerApr 22, 2016

South Korean footballer Ji So-yun was named to the Team of the Year in the top English women's football league for the second time in a row Thursday (local time).The Professional Footballers' Association announced the best lineups in the 2015-2016 season of its pro football leagues and Ji, who plays for Chelsea Ladies FC, was included on the Football Association Women's Super League Team of the Year as a right winger. It was Ji's second straight appearance in a lineup decided by the WSL players'
Korea lifts ban on ballpark beer vendors

BaseballApr 21, 2016

South Korea's tax office has decided to lift a controversial ban on beer vendors at baseball stadiums, officials said Thursday, apparently giving into an outcry from angry fans.Starting Monday, "beer boys" were banned from carrying kegs of draft beer and pouring it into cups upon order from fans sitting in the stands under government guidelines that cite a negative impact on minors and a related law. In a policy about-face, however, the National Tax Service has decided to allow mobile sales of
Scoreless innings streak snapped for Cardinals' Oh Seung-hwan

BaseballApr 21, 2016

Oh Seung-hwan of the St. Louis Cardinals gave up his first two runs of the season Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs.The South Korean right-hander saw his scoreless innings streak snapped at eight innings, after allowing two runs in the top of the eighth inning on a rainy day at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.Oh hadn't given up a run in 7 2/3 innings in seven appearances prior to this game.Oh relieved starter Carlos Martinez to start the eighth, with the Cardinals ahead 4-1. The game was delayed by