[Tokyo Olympics] Ko Jin-young fueled by anger to start women's golf tournament

SAITAMA -- With six holes left in the opening round of the Tokyo Olympic women's golf tournament on Wednesday, Ko Jin-young was sitting at one-over par. She had just made her third bogey of the day at the 12th hole. She was angry. Ko took it out on the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama, north of Tokyo, and reeled off four birdies over her next five holes. The 2019 LPGA Player of the Year finished her day at three-under 68, two off the lead. "When I had six holes left, I wanted to try

Olympic GamesAug. 4, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] S. Korean LPGA stars in early contention in women's golf

SAITAMA -- World No. 2 Ko Jin-young and defending champion Park In-bee found themselves in early contention at the Tokyo Olympic women's golf tournament Wednesday, braving scorching conditions to stay near the top of the leaderboard. Ko shot a three-under 68 at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama, north of Tokyo, in the opening round, with six birdies against three bogeys. Ko is two behind the leader, Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden. Nelly Korda of the United States, world No. 1, is one of two pl

Olympic GamesAug. 4, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] Defending champion overcomes nerves for solid opening round in women's golf

SAITAMA -- Competing at the Olympics can make even the best of the best nervous, and LPGA Hall of Famer and 2016 Olympic gold champion Park In-bee was no exception on Wednesday. Park opened her gold medal defense with a two-under 69 at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama, north of Tokyo, on Wednesday. She went bogey-free on the front nine, but had a bogey at the 18th as her lone blemish. Park is three shots behind the leader, Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden. Park, long known as a stoic athlete wi

Olympic GamesAug. 4, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] S. Korea volleyball coach still dreaming after unlikely victory over Turkey

TOKYO -- For a few moments after his South Korean team upset Turkey in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympic women's volleyball tournament Wednesday, head coach Stefano Lavarini still didn't know what had just happened. His celebration was more muted than his reaction to South Korea's five-set win over Japan last weekend in preliminary action. "I didn't realize we were going to the semifinals," the Italian-born coach explained afterward. "It wasn't because I wasn't happy."

Olympic GamesAug. 4, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] S. Korea shocks Turkey to reach semifinals in women's volleyball

TOKYO -- South Korea stunned Turkey in five sets in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympic women's volleyball tournament on Wednesday, with its captain and greatest player keeping alive hopes of winning her first medal. Kim Yeon-koung carried South Korea on her back with 28 points, as the 13th-ranked South Korea beat the fourth-ranked Turkey 3-2 (17-25, 25-17, 28-26, 18-25, 15-13) at Ariake Arena. In Friday's semifinals, South Korea will face the winner of the Brazil-Russian Olympic Committee

Olympic GamesAug. 4, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] Unfazed by injury trauma, Shin's Olympic gold feat driven by relentless determination, positivity

TOKYO -- Having become the second-only South Korean gymnast to win a gold at the Olympics, one may assume Shin Jea-hwan, men's vault gold champion at the Tokyo Games, has had all the luck he could get throughout his athletic journey. Shin, 23, however, is said to have survived a traumatizing back injury during high school, which almost brought his competitive gymnast career to an end. "I don't want to talk about that," Shin said, attempting to shy away from the topic when asked by re

Olympic GamesAug. 3, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] 4th place finishers: 10 S. Koreans stopped on verge of jubilation at Tokyo Olympics

At Olympic Games, there is a huge difference in third place and fourth place, as a medal is tangible evidence of success in the sporting world. The tiniest margins of time or distance are powerful enough to decide an athlete's fate. A total of 10 South Korean athletes or teams have just missed the medal podium at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics as of Tuesday, while the country has a total of 19 medals -- six golds, four silvers and nine bronzes. Woo Sang-hyeok cleared 2.35 meters in the men's high

Olympic GamesAug. 3, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] LPGA Hall of Famer Park In-bee to begin women's golf title defense

TOKYO -- After finishing out of medal in the Tokyo Olympic men's golf tournament on Sunday, South Korean golfer Kim Si-woo spoke for many golf fans from the country when he said he hoped to see a podium sweep from the women's event. South Korea will have four of the world's top-10 female golfers in the field of 60 at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama, north of Tokyo, starting Wednesday, The quartet includes Park In-bee, the 2016 gold medalist and an LPGA Hall of Famer. She comes in ranked N

Olympic GamesAug. 3, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] New chapter in rivalry: It's S. Korea vs. Japan in baseball semifinals

TOKYO -- Get your popcorn ready, or whatever the snack of your choice may be when watching exciting sporting events. It will be South Korea versus Japan in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympic baseball tournament Wednesday. The first pitch is at 7 p.m. at Yokohama Stadium in Yokohama, south of Tokyo. No matter how the game plays out, it will add a new chapter to one of the most intense rivalries in international sports. Baseball is beloved in both countries. While Japan would like nothing more

Olympic GamesAug. 3, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] New Olympic vault gold medalist pays tribute to former champion

TOKYO -- South Korean gymnast Shin Jea-hwan did something on Monday that only one other gymnast from the country had done: winning an Olympic gold medal.    And after grabbing the men's vault title at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, Shin paid tribute to the man that came before him, the 2012 Olympic vault champion Yang Hak-seon.    Shin and Yang both competed in the vault event here. Shin won the qualification stage, but Yang finished ninth, just missing out on the final, w

Olympic GamesAug. 2, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] Gymnast Shin Jea-hwan wins gold in men's vault

  TOKYO -- South Korean gymnast Shin Jea-hwan vaulted into the record books at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, winning the men's vault gold medal to become only the second Olympic gymnastics champion from the country.    Shin scored 14.783 points on average after two vaults in the final held at Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo, beating Denis Abliazin of the Russian Olympic Committee for the gold medal. Shin had 14.733 points with his first vault and 14.833 with the next one. &n

Olympic GamesAug. 2, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] Korean table tennis players not fearing China ahead of potential showdown

TOKYO -- By reaching the semifinals of the men's table tennis team event at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, Korea has set up a likely showdown against China, the singular force in international ping pong.    Korea defeated Brazil 3-0 in the quarterfinals earlier in the day at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Though China still had to beat France later in the evening to reach the semifinals, no South Korean player expected to see anyone else but China.    Lee Sang-su sa

Olympic GamesAug. 2, 2021

Defending golf champion feeling healthier, more comfortable than in 2016

SAITAMA -- What a difference five years can make. Before making her Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, South Korean LPGA star Park In-bee was dealing with a left thumb injury. The condition was such that she'd barely played on the tour for a few weeks before the Olympics. She even heard whispers that she should cede her spot to another, healthier golfer. Park stuck to it and captured one of the most memorable gold medals for South Korea that year. The LPGA Hall of Famer is back, still g

Olympic GamesAug. 2, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] KBO closer thriving in middle relief for nat'l team

YOKOHAMA -- Lost amid South Korea's offensive outburst in an 11-1 win over Israel in the Tokyo Olympic baseball tournament on Monday was yet another outstanding relief appearance by Cho Sang-woo. The closer for the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has been one of the most valuable middle relievers for the national team. He has pieced together 4 1/3 scoreless innings in three appearances so far, as South Korea heads into the semifinals scheduled for Wednesday. Cho's bigges

Olympic GamesAug. 2, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] Mixed feelings as S. Korean shuttlers celebrate victory over teammates

TOKYO -- It was a match that nobody won but then everybody won. Two South Korean tandems met for bronze medal in the women's doubles badminton event at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday. Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong defeated Lee So-hee and Shin Seung-chan 2-0 (21-10, 21-17) for the country's first and only medal out of badminton here. All four players shed tears, though reasons for their emotional displays were vastly different. Kim and Kong were obviously overjoyed, but at the same time, they f

Olympic GamesAug. 2, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] Once sputtering, S. Korean offense wakes up in time for baseball semifinals

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- For the first four innings against Israel in the second-round game of the Tokyo Olympic baseball tournament Monday, South Korea was experiencing much the same problem that had ailed the team in their three previous games. Granted, South Korea had won two of those games, but at some point, its inability to cash in on one scoring opportunity after another could come back to bite. Would that happen in this game? South Korea took a 3-0 lead early but then Israel

Olympic GamesAug. 2, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] S. Korea wins bronze in badminton women's doubles

TOKYO -- Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong of South Korea won the bronze medal in the women's doubles badminton event at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, thanks to a victory over their compatriots, Lee So-hee and Shin Seung-chan. Kim and Kong won the match 2-0 (21-10, 21-17) at Musashino Forest Plaza in Tokyo. The all-Korean bronze medal match was set up after both pairs lost in the semifinals Saturday. This is South Korea's only medal from badminton in Tokyo and also the country's second straight b

Olympic GamesAug. 2, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] Survey shows football is most popular Olympic sport among S. Korean viewers

Football was the most-watched sport midway through the Tokyo Olympics among South Korean TV viewers, data showed Monday. The group round match of the South Korean men's football team against Romania on July 25 marked a combined 33 percent in viewership, according to Nielson Korea. It was aired simultaneously by three terrestrial TV networks -- KBS, MBC and SBS -- and labeled as the highest-rated Olympic live broadcast program over the Tokyo Olympics that kicked off July 23. The Korea-Romania

Olympic GamesAug. 2, 2021

[Tokyo OIympics] S. Korea inches closer to women's handball quarterfinals after draw vs. Angola

TOKYO -- South Korea found itself on the verge of qualifying for the women's handball quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, following a nailbiting draw against Angola in the final group match. Kang Eun-hye scored for South Korea with 11 seconds remaining to secure a 31-31 draw in the teams' last Group A match at Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo. With the top four teams from each of the two groups reaching the quarterfinals, South Korea concluded the preliminary action in fourth place

Olympic GamesAug. 2, 2021

[Tokyo Olympics] S. Korea takes 3rd seed in group in women's volleyball after loss to Serbia

TOKYO -- South Korea have reached the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympic women's volleyball tournament as the third seed from Pool A, following a straight-set loss to Serbia in the final preliminary match Monday. Serbia handled South Korea 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 25-15) at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. South Korea finished group play at 3-2 for seven points: three points from a 3-0 win over Kenya, and two points each from 3-2 wins over the Dominican Republic and Japan. It was the five-set thriller over Ja

Olympic GamesAug. 2, 2021