After a year-long postponement, the Korean athletes who will compete at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, which begin on August 23, arrived in Hangzhou, China, on Tuesday.
The Korean team, led by head coach Choi Yoon, departed for China through Incheon International Airport and entered the arrival hall of Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport with bright expressions.
South Korea is sending a record number of 1,140 athletes to compete in 39 sports at the Hangzhou Asian Games, which will kick off on Sept. 23 and run through Oct. 8 in six cities including Hangzhou, capital of China’s Zhejiang province.
The athletes are heading to China sequentially according to their respective competition schedules, and the main group that arrived in Hangzhou on Sunday included 14 members of the tennis team, including Kwon Sun-woo (Dangjin City Hall), 17 members of the shooting team, 22 members of the hockey team, and seven members of the skateboarding team.
Choi Yoon and Jang Jae-geun, head of the National Athletes’ Village, along with 35 headquarters officials, also traveled to Hangzhou.
“We arrived in Hangzhou with a lot of support and welcome,” Choi said. “All 1,140 athletes competing in the Games have tried to fulfill their dreams. They all have their own stories. I hope the public will support them and cheer for Korea.”
At the Games, the Korean athletes are aiming to win up to 50 gold medals and finish third in the overall standings.
Korea finished third overall at the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games five years ago with 49 gold, 58 silver and 70 bronze medals.
“We have prepared hard to win more than 50 gold medals. Our athletes are capable of that,” Choi said, adding, “No matter what the outcome, I hope many people are happy through sports. I hope both the people and the athletes are happy.”
“Wu Yibing may have an advantage because she is from Hangzhou, but if she overwhelms her opponents with her skills, the venue won’t matter much,” said Korean tennis star Kwon Soon-woo. “I have prepared very hard to compete in the singles and doubles at the Asian Games. I hope to achieve good results.”
Born in April 2011, Moon Kang-ho (Gangwon Province Roller Sports Federation), the second youngest member of the Korean contingent, said he was “really excited” 카지노사이트 and with a clear expression befitting his age, “I want to introduce skateboarding to my country. I want to make it to the finals.”
Kwak Jun-hyuk (KT Rolster), an esports FIFA Online 4 player who arrived in Hangzhou on a different flight, said, “My goal is to win Korea’s first ever esports gold medal,” adding, “China will have an advantage because they are playing at home, but I will do my best to achieve a good result.”
“It is most important that the athletes travel safely and without incident,” said Korean Sports Ministry President Lee Ki-heung at Incheon International Airport before the team’s departure. There were many difficulties due to the postponement due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic, and I hope the players will fully demonstrate their skills.”
“We are receiving reports” about some local operations that have not gone smoothly, such as whether soccer training fields are open to the public, Lee said. “There may be such things before the tournament starts in earnest, but I think it will go well after the opening ceremony.”
The Korean athletes’ competition schedule had already begun the day before, on Sept. 19.
The Hwang Sun-hong-led men’s national soccer team recorded its first win of the tournament with a 9-0 victory over Kuwait, led by a hat trick from Chung Woo-young (Stuttgart), in their Group E opener at Jinhua Stadium in Zhejiang, China, on the afternoon of the 19th.
On June 21, the men’s soccer group stage second round match against Thailand and the men’s volleyball preliminary round second round match against Cambodia will follow.
The medal race will begin in earnest on the 24th, the day after the opening ceremony.
The swimming management team, including Hwang Sun-woo (Gangwon Provincial Office), arrived on the 21st and will compete in the medal race on the 24th. Hwang will compete against Fan Zhanle (CHN) for the men’s 100-meter freestyle title on Thursday.
The Korean athletes will participate in the official arrival ceremony on the morning of the 21st. 슬롯