The Korea Herald

Sochi Winter Olympics draws to conclusion with host on top

The 2014 Winter Olympic Games in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi drew to a conclusion on Sunday, as the host Russia rediscovered its dominance on snow and ice.The closing ceremony took place at Fisht Olympic Stadium, the same site of the opening ceremony for the 17-day winter sports extravaganza.Under the slogan "Hot, Cool, Yours," the Sochi Olympics brought together nearly 3,000 athletes from a Winter Games record 88 countries, who competed for 98 gold medals in 15 disciplines in seven sport

Olympic GamesFeb. 24, 2014

Sochi Winter Olympics draws to conclusion with host on top

S. Korea finishes out of contention in bobsleigh

South Korea finished well outside contention in the four-man bobsleigh on Sunday, the country's final competition at the Sochi Winter Olympics.A South Korean team, led by the pilot Won Yun-jong, had the combined time of 3:44.22 after its four races over the past two days. The foursome finished 3.62 seconds behind the championship team from Russia, led by the pilot Alexander Zubkov.A second South Korean team, with the pilot Kim Dong-hyun at the helm, ranked 28th among 30 teams after three races a

Olympic GamesFeb. 23, 2014

IOC chief hails 'great' Sochi Games

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach on Sunday hailed the Sochi Games as "great", saying the response from the athletes was overwhelmingly positive.He praised President Vladimir Putin for playing an "important role" in the Games and said the Russian strongman never committed any act that was not in line with the Olympic Charter during the Games."We are close to the end of a great Olympic Winter Games. The response we get from all the different participants is overwhelmingly posi

Olympic GamesFeb. 23, 2014

Chelsea stays on top of table

LONDON (AP) ― Wins by Chelsea and Manchester City, and a potent attacking display by Arsenal, left the top of the Premier League unchanged Saturday.Chelsea leads the way after captain John Terry clinched a 1-0 victory over Everton in stoppage time by bundling in from Frank Lampard’s cross, with goalkeeper Tim Howard’s body helping to turn the ball into the net.Arsenal is just a point behind its London rival as Olivier Giroud scored twice in his return to the starting lineup in a 4-1 victory over

SoccerFeb. 23, 2014

Els reaches semifinals

MARANA, Arizona (AP) ― The love-hate relationship Ernie Els has with the Match Play Championship is taking a major turn for the better.Els made a birdie from the desert on the par-5 eighth hole to take the lead for good Saturday against 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, reaching the semifinals in this fickle tournament for the first time in 13 years.It was the first time all week that Els made more birdies than bogeys, yet he somehow has survived.“At times I haven’t played my best, as you guys have wel

GolfFeb. 23, 2014

Lee Min-jee wins Women’s Victorian Open

MELBOURNE (AP) ― Seventeen-year-old amateur Lee Min-jee shot a final-round 68 Sunday to win the Women’s Victorian Open by six shots, claiming her first victory in a professional event.Lee, who started the day three shots clear of fellow Australian Sarah-Jane Smith, had eight birdies to finish at 16-under 279 at the Thirteenth Beach links course. Scotland’s Vicky Laing shot a 66 to finish second at 10-under 285 and Smith was third at 8-under 287.Lee, the reigning Australian amateur champion, has

GolfFeb. 23, 2014

MLB managers set to try out replay in spring training

KISSIMMEE, Florida (AP) ― Major league teams will each have at least five games this spring where managers can challenge plays as part of the major expansion of instant replay which begins this season.Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez is looking forward to getting acquainted with it.“Those five games that we have the actual television, I’m challenging everything just to get a feel for it,” he said. “I’m sure that the umpires will appreciate that.”Gonzalez, Houston manager Bo Porter, Tigers manager

BaseballFeb. 23, 2014

MLB managers set to try out replay in spring training

PyeongChang set to take Olympic baton

SOCHI, Russia (AP) ― Even before the Sochi Games come to a close, organizers of the next Winter Olympics are promising to do them Gangwon style.After two failed bids to host the Winter Games, the South Korean city of PyeongChang won the right to stage the 2018 edition in the mountains of Gangwon Province east of Seoul. Organizing committee president Kim Jin-sun held a news conference to provide an update on preparations and to answer questions about issues including security, North Korea’s parti

Olympic GamesFeb. 23, 2014

Finland shuts out lifeless U.S. to win bronze in ice hockey

SOCHI, Russia (AP) ― Teemu Selanne led his team around the ice, with a bronze medal draped around his neck, after he finished off his sixth Olympics with a sweet victory.If the Finnish Flash is retiring and hanging up his skates after the NHL season, he picked a pretty good way to go out on the world’s stage.Selanne scored two goals and Tuukka Rask had a 27-save shutout, helping Finland rout the United States 5-0 Saturday to win hockey bronze at the Sochi Games.The 43-year-old, smooth-skating fo

Olympic GamesFeb. 23, 2014

Olympic: Sotnikova inspired by battling Asada

Newly-crowned Olympic champion has revealed that she had been inspired by Japanese star Mao Asada in her journey towards Winter Games' gold.As Sotnikova, 17, glided to her first major title, 23-year-old Asada was competing in her last Games.Asada's bid to give Japan a second figure skating gold in Sochi fell foul of her trademark triple Axel jump on Wednesday -- leaving her in 16th position after the first night of the competition.But she recovered strongly on Thursday to post the third highest

Olympic GamesFeb. 23, 2014

Olympic: Sotnikova inspired by battling Asada

Photos of Kim Yu-na at gala exhibition in Sochi

The photo collection of figure skating queen Kim Yu-na perfoming at the gala exhibition that closed the Olympic figure skating competition in Sochi on Sunday (Korean time). The photos are from Yonhap.

Olympic GamesFeb. 23, 2014

Photos of Kim Yu-na at gala exhibition in Sochi

Kim Yu-na performs at Sochi gala skate

With the pressure off and no medals at stake, it was time for the Olympic figure skaters to have some fun. Before a packed house Saturday night at the Iceberg Skating Palace, where so much history was made during the Sochi Games, the loudest cheers, naturally, went to the Russian stars When pairs champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov took the ice at the end of the 2{-hour show, now familiar chants of "Ro-ssi-ya'' filled the arena. Then all the individual gold medalists _ Americans Mery

Olympic GamesFeb. 23, 2014

Korea bags silver in team pursuit

South Korea on Saturday added what should be its final medal at the Sochi Winter Olympics, the silver in the men's team pursuit in speed skating, but will fall short of its stated objective.The team of Lee Seung-hoon, Joo Hyong-jun and Kim Cheol-min took the silver behind the favored Netherlands in the team pursuit race at Adler Arena Skating Center, winning the country's first medal in the event that became a medal sport in 2006.It brought South Korea's medal tally to three gold, three silver a

Olympic GamesFeb. 23, 2014

Korean bobsledders hoping to close out Olympics on positive note

South Korean men's bobsleigh teams are hoping to close out the Sochi Winter Olympics on a positive note on Sunday, the final day of the quadrennial extravaganza.A pair of four-man teams, one led by the pilot Won Yun-jong and the other by the pilot Kim Dong-hyun, ranked 20th and 29th among 30 teams after their first two races on Saturday. They are back for the final two races, and the combined times after all four races will determine the final standings.The men's bobsleigh is the only event for

Olympic GamesFeb. 23, 2014

Korea wins silver in men's team pursuit speed skating

South Korea grabbed silver in the men's team pursuit speed skating event at the Sochi Winter Olympics on Saturday.The trio of Lee Seung-hoon, Joo Hyong-jun and Kim Cheol-min finished the eight-lap race in 3:40.85, 3.14 seconds behind the heavily favored Netherlands in the final, but still collected South Korea's first medal in the team pursuit. The event became a medal sport in 2006.The Dutch team of Sven Kramer, Jan Blokhuijsen and Koen Verweij set the Olympic record with 3:37.71.South Korea an

Olympic GamesFeb. 23, 2014

Korea wins silver in men's team pursuit speed skating

Experts, fans up in arms over Sochi figure skating judging

The stunning defeat of South Korean figure skating star Kim Yu-na in the ladies' singles competition at the Sochi Winter Games has left fans and experts, both at her home and abroad, up in arms about judging in one of the marquee events at the sporting event.Kim, the 2010 Olympic champ, fell shy of winning her second straight gold on Thursday in Russia, settling for silver with 219.11 points in total, 5.48 points behind the upstart Russian, Adelina Sotnikova.Kim held the slim, 0.28-point lead ov

Olympic GamesFeb. 22, 2014

Experts, fans up in arms over Sochi figure skating judging

Viktor Ahn tears up short track record books

Viktor Ahn crowned himself king of short track Friday night, winning two golds to tie retired star Apolo Anton Ohno for the most career Olympic medals with eight. Ahn led Russia to victory in the 5,000-meter relay, taking the lead for good by passing American J.R. Celski with eight laps to go. Earlier in the evening, Ahn won the 500. The South Korean-born skater who switched nationalities in 2011 finished the Sochi Games with a medal in all four of his events. He applauded as he cross

Olympic GamesFeb. 22, 2014

Viktor Ahn tears up short track record books

Park wins gold, Shim bronze in women's 1,000m

South Korean short tracker Park Seung-hi captured the gold medal and teammate Shim Suk-hee grabbed the bronze in the women's 1,000 meters on Friday at the Sochi Winter Games.Park finished the nine-lap race in 1:30.761, holding off Fan Kexin of China by 0.05 second to earn her second gold medal and third medal overall in Sochi. Shim finished third in 1:31.027, picking up her third medal at her first Olympics.Park and Shim earlier teamed up to win the gold medal in the 3,000ｍ relay. Park also has

Olympic GamesFeb. 22, 2014

Park wins gold, Shim bronze in women's 1,000m

Korean women win gold, bronze in women's 1,000 meters

South Korean short tracker Park Seung-hi captured the gold medal and teammate Shim Suk-hee grabbed the bronze in the women's 1,000 meters on Friday at the Sochi Winter Games.Park finished the nine-lap race in 1:30.761, holding off Fan Kexin of China by 0.05 second to earn her second gold medal and third medal overall in Sochi. Shim finished third in 1:31.027, picking up her third medal at her first Olympics.Park and Shim earlier teamed up to win the gold medal in the 3,000ｍ relay. Park also has

Olympic GamesFeb. 22, 2014

S. Korea reaches finals in men's team pursuit speed skating

South Korea on Friday reached the finals in the men's team pursuit speed skating event at the Sochi Winter Olympics.The men's trio of Lee Seung-hoon, Joo Hyong-jun and Kim Cheol-min finished the eight-lap race in 3:42.32 to beat Canada, which finished in 3:45.28. South Korea posted the fastest time in the quarterfinals with 3:40.84.In the finals, set for Saturday, South Korea will take on the Netherlands, securing at least the silver medal. Canada's Mathieu Giroux, Lucas Makowsky and Denny Morr

Olympic GamesFeb. 22, 2014

S. Korea reaches finals in men's team pursuit speed skating