[Asian Games] S. Korean baseball has first match against Thailand

South Korea's baseball team will have its opening match against Thailand, taking the first step toward two straight Asiad golds on Monday, the third day of competition.

Left-hander Kim Kwang-hyun will start the game against the Southeast Asian country at 6:30 p.m. at Munhak Baseball Stadium, central Incheon, the host city of this year's Asian Games that kicked off Friday.

In Group B, the team will next take on Chinese Taipei on Wednesday and Hong Kong on the following day.

The star-studded team captured a comfortable gold medal at the Guangzhou Asiad four years ago and hopes to repeat the feat on its home turf.

Two female athletes in fencing and shooting hope their birthday presents will turn gold.

Fencer Shin A-lam, who lost a chance to win an Olympic gold two years ago due to a time-keeping controversy in London, will fight for her first Asian Games title in the women's individual epee, joining her teammates' gold medal parade on the previous days. She attended the past two Asian Games but failed to get a gold medal.

South Korean shooter Kim Jang-mi will issue a second challenge for a gold in the women's 25-meter pistol, after finishing seventh in the 10ｍ air pistol on Saturday.

Shin will turn 28 on Tuesday, and Kim will be 22 on Thursday.

In judo, five gold medals in the heaviest classes are up for grab, with the women's -78kg and +78kg and men's -90kg, -100kg and +100kg. Reigning Asiad Champion Jeong Gyeong-mi aims to stand on the top of the podium in the women's -78kg class.

On Monday, athletes will vie for 27 gold medals up for grabs in 11 sports. (Yonhap)