From 0 to 1140...Hangzhou AG viewing points by the numbers
Out of the pandemic tunnel, Asia's biggest sporting event, the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games (Sept. 23-Oct. 8), is finally underway. After being postponed by a year due to COVID-19, the Games are expected to be the largest Asian Games ever. Hankyoreh looks at the Hangzhou Asian Games through various numbers.
0. Bowling has won zero medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Bowling was dropped from the program after the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games. South Korea has reigned supreme in Asia with 31 gold medals (72 total medals) in bowling. That's twice as many as second-place Japan (16 golds - 38 total).
1. High Jump Woo Sang-hyuk is the first South Korean to win the Diamond League Final, the king of track and field. Woo, who won a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games, will look to win his first Asian Games gold medal against the world's strongest athlete, Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar). 카지노사이트가이드
2. South Korea's highest ever Asian Games finish is second. It finished second four times in a row from 2002-2014. At the 2018 Games, they finished third behind Japan. This time around, South Korea has set its sights on a maximum of 50 gold medals and third place overall. The calculation is that it is difficult to realistically overtake Japan, which has surged since the Tokyo Olympics.
3. Hwang Sun-hong's men's soccer team will try to win their third straight Asian Games title in Hangzhou. If they win, they will extend their record to six titles (second-place Iran has four). Previously, the team won its first match against Kuwait, 9-0, on Sept. 19.
4. The baseball team, coached by Ryu Jung-il, will be looking to win its fourth consecutive gold medal at the Games. The baseball team has dominated the gold medal table since Guangzhou 2010. The team has won five gold medals in the seven editions since baseball became an official sport.
7. Fencer Koo Bon-gil (Korea Sports Promotion Organization) will go for gold in the men's sabre individual and team events. If he wins both events, he will have the most Asian Games gold medals (seven) by a South Korean athlete.
8. Diving Woo Haram (Korea National Sports Promotion Organization) has won a whopping eight medals at the Asian Games. He has won three silver and five bronze medals in two Asian Games since Incheon 2014. Uharam will be looking to win his first Asian Games gold medal.
9. Badminton Ahn Se-young (Samsung Life Insurance) has won nine international titles this season. The world No. 1 defeated world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi 2-0 in the final of the China Tour on Tuesday. She will be aiming for gold this time around.The women's volleyball team, coached by Cesar Gonzalez, faces a 'no-medal' after a string of poor performances. If they fail to win a medal, it will be the first time in 17 years since 2006. South Korean women's volleyball has won a medal in all but 2006 since its inception in 1974. Men's volleyball, meanwhile, will be looking for its first gold medal in 17 years.
South Korea is sending athletes to 39 of the 40 events at the Games. The only sport it hasn't sent a team is cricket. Cricket failed to register for the Hangzhou Asian Games after two attempts to select a team due to conflicts between the federations.
The oldest member of the South Korean team is Lim Hyun, who is competing in mindsport bridge. Born in 1950, Lim is 73 years old. Bridge is a type of card game. The youngest athlete is 11-year-old Kim Sa-ra, who is competing in chess.
North Korea is sending 185 athletes to the Games to compete in 18 sports.
North Korea's unilateral withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic marks the country's return to international competition after five years since the 2018 Games.
Back then, the DPRK teamed up with South Korea in sailing and women's basketball and achieved a medal (gold, silver, and bronze), but this time they will be competing against each other.
South Korea is sending a total of 1140 athletes (869 athletes) to the Games. This is the largest ever.