The time has come. South Korean swimming star Park Tae-hwan arrived in Shanghai on Monday to compete in the 2011 World Swimming Championships. For Park, the biennial event, which is running until July 31, is an opportunity to erase the memory of his meltdown two years ago. At the previous championships in Rome, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist failed to make it into the finals in any race.Last month

South Korean striker Ji Dong-won has expressed his excitement for the upcoming season in the English Premier League. The 20-year-old Ji, who signed last month with Sunderland AFC, is enjoying being on the pre-season tour with his new club. Sunderland’s new striker Ji Dong-won (right) of Korea speaks with manager Steve Bruce on Friday. (Sunderland)“If I stay injury free and have time to adapt prope

TOKYO (AFP) -- Japan erupted in joy early Monday after their women‘s football team won the World Cup in Germany, hailing the penalty shootout victory as a “dream come true”.Supporters watched the cliffhanger 3-1 shootout win over twice champions the United States live on television at home, in sports bars and in public places across the country.Japan players celebrate with the trophy after winning

SANDWICH (AFP) -- Darren Clarke held his nerve to clinch victory at the British Open here Sunday, becoming the oldest winner of the championship in 44 years as he ended his long wait for a Major. The popular 42-year-old from Northern Ireland kept his cool in demanding conditions to card a level-par 70, leaving him five under for the tournament and three strokes clear of Americans Phil Mickelson an

SANDWICH, England (AP) ― About the only predictable part of this British Open is the weather.The biggest surprise is the list of contenders for the claret jug.The weather was wild again Saturday, shifting from a raging wind to a gentle sea breeze, from a driving rain to brilliant sunshine, and leaving most of the field wet, tired and feeling as though they got the short end of the draw. That’s not

Officials blame traditional musk deer gland medicineFRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ― A total of five North Korea players have tested positive for steroids at the women’s World Cup, soccer’s biggest doping scandal at a major tournament in 17 years.FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Saturday that after two players were caught during the tournament this month, FIFA tested the rest of the North Korean squad an

For Kim Jin-sun, Pyeong-Chang’s recent victory over two European rivals to win the bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics was a poignant moment.Kim, 64, had been an executive director for Pyeong-Chang’s two earlier, failed Winter Games bids. A three-time governor of Gangwon Province, where PyeongChang is located, Kim is a principal figure that launched PyeongChang’s Winter Games project more than a deca

Rah shares secrets of successful PyeongChang presentationTheresa Rah, the communication director of PyeongChang’s 2018 bid committee, is now probably the country’s best known speaker and presenter. Her impressive presentation on July 6 for PyeongChang’s 2018 Winter Olympics bid not only captured the attention of the IOC voters, but also thrilled millions of TV viewers across the country. Furthermo

Last week in Durban, South Africa, a group of Korean delegates were leaping and hugging each other with joy when the International Olympic Committee finally declared PyeongChang as the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics.Ermanno Gardella was there too, joining the festive crowd and enjoying the success of PyeongChang’s bid. “I supported PyeongChang,” said the secretary general of the International Bo

SANDWICH (AFP) -- South Korean young guns Noh Seung-yul and Hwang Jung-gon led the Asian charge at the British Open on Thursday, signaling their talent with sub-par rounds at Royal St George's.Asian Tour number one Noh is determined to impress on the biggest stage of all and knows that he is capable of doing so following a one-under-par 69 which upstaged some of the world's biggest names.Korea's J

 NBA star Kobe Bryant arrived in Seoul on Thursday as part of an Asian tour organized by his sponsor Nike to promote basketball here.  The LA Lakers guard arrived in Gimpo Airport on his private jet around 11 a.m. Thursday. After a brief news conference, he went directly to Korea University in Seoul to host a mini clinic for local high school and university students.  NBA basketball star Kobe Brya

Korea’s Lee Seung-hoon (left) is challenged by England defenders. (AP-Yonhap News)LONDON (AFP) ― England’s chances of winning the London Cup ended with a 5-4 defeat by South Korea here on Wednesday.Both sides had to win after first round losses to stand a chance of making it through to the final and it was the visitors who enjoyed a narrow victory.England saw first-half goals from Jonty Clarke and

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ― Both call teamwork the highest good and both are in the final of the World Cup after 3-1 victories. Yet few teams could be as different as the United States and Japan.The U.S. team again fed off the emotional high of overcoming fatigue and setbacks to find exhilarating unity and late goals to beat France.Japan, meanwhile, prided itself on an inner calm when it trailed Swe