The Korea Herald

N. Korea angry at S. Korean journalists for covering practice

LONDON -- North Korean table tennis officials here on Monday reacted angrily to South Korean journalists who attempted to take pictures of their practice ahead of the upcoming London Olympics, in the latest display of strained ties between the two countries.North Korean table tennis players had practice at ExCeL South Arena, which will also serve as the venue for the Olympic competitions from Jul

July 23, 2012

N. Korea angry at S. Korean journalists for covering practice

Baseball, softball agree to merge in bid

LONDON (AP) ― Seven years after they were cut from the games, baseball and softball have agreed to merge into a single international federation in a joint bid to return to the Olympics.The two sports, which were last played at the 2008 Beijing Games, each failed in separate attempts to win reinstatement for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.The heads of the two governing bodies said Saturday they plan to unite into the International Baseball and Softball Federation in hopes of increasing their chances

July 23, 2012

Pope’s Olympic message credits power of sports

VATICAN CITY (AP) ― Pope Benedict XVI says he is praying that the London Olympics promote world peace and friendship ― a message the Vatican is increasingly emphasizing as it focuses renewed attention on the positive role that sports can play in society.But while the message Sunday may be new, sports have long been a mainstay for the Vatican. The first soccer game was played in the Apostolic Palace in 1521 and every year the Swiss Guards face off against the staff of the Vatican Museums in a tou

July 23, 2012

Israel marks Munich massacre anniversary

LONDON (AP) ― Complaining that the Olympic movement is still ignoring their pain, Israelis marked the 40th anniversary of the Munich massacre on Sunday with a modest service in the atrium of a London apartment block.Prayers were read for the 11 murdered Israelis, wreaths were laid for them and a plaque unveiled about six kilometers from the Olympic Stadium.However, there will be no minute of silence for them at Friday’s opening ceremony.“The International Olympic Committee have a moral commitmen

July 23, 2012

Lee wishes for good results at London Games

President Lee Myung-bak said Monday he hopes South Korean athletes will achieve good results at the London Olympics, saying they have trained so hard they can expect higher medal chances. “I am well aware that you have done your best to make preparations (for the London Olympics) and I am confident that you can expect good results,” Lee said during his biweekly radio address, encouraging the South Korean team. “At a time when the world economy is hard and difficult, your fighting spirit would si

July 23, 2012

Hwang seeks redemption for loss at 2011 Championships

Hwang seeks redemption for loss at 2011 ChampionshipsThe following is the fifth of a series of articles on rival athletes in South Korea’s favorite events at the London 2012 Olympic Games. -Ed.Korea’s ace taekwondo fighter Hwang Kyung-seon has an opponent she wants to defeat by all means, not to mention a gold medal to win, in the London 2012 Olympic Games. “I want to defeat Sarah Stevenson of Britain and capture the gold,” she told reporters at a media day event July 10. The 26-year-old reveale

July 23, 2012

Sun comes out as torch tours London

LONDON (AP) ― The Olympic torch has begun its tour of London ― and to everyone’s relief, the weather is cooperating.After weeks of unseasonably chilly temperatures and miserable rain, the sun came out Saturday as thousands of people turned out to watch the flame begin its seven-day trip of the Olympic host city.The torch arrived late Friday in the city with a dramatic entrance, abseiled from a helicopter by a Royal Marine to the Tower of London on the shore of the River Thames.After a night lock

July 22, 2012

Many Muslim athletes to fast after Games

LONDON (AP) ― With the London Games fast approaching and the Islamic holy month of Ramadan already here, Muslim athletes are faced with a dilemma of Olympian proportions.Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk during the 30-day month of Ramadan, which began Friday in most countries.During long summer days in London, that translates into 18 hours of fasting ― something that many Muslim athletes consider impossible to do without losing their competitive edge.Many of t

July 22, 2012

Yang and Koczi take to the air for London gold medal

The following is the fourth of a series of articles on rival athletes in South Korea’s favorite events at the London 2012 Olympic Games ― Ed.Korea has sent numerous gymnasts to the Olympic Games so far, but has only ended up with silver medals in the last four Games since Atlanta in 1996.This time, however, its gold medal prospects look very bright. Nineteen-year-old Yang Hak-seon of Korea National Sport University is regarded as a sure bet among the Korean Olympian athletes.Yang made the nation

July 22, 2012

Yang and Koczi take to the air for London gold medal

Nadal withdraws from London Olympics

Rafael Nadal, shown in June with the trophy for winning a record seventh French Open men's singles title, in Thursday withdrew from the Summer Olympics tennis competition. Nadal won the men's singles gold medal in 2008(UPI)Spain's Rafael Nadal, who won the men's singles gold medal at the 2008 Olympics, Thursday withdrew from the 2012 Games in London.Nadal, ranked No. 3 in the world, cited physical

July 20, 2012

Handballers look to rely on speed

South Korean handball players will face a tall order at the upcoming London Olympics ― quite literally.Both the men’s and women’s teams have drawn European teams that prominently feature bigger and taller players. But South Korean coaches and players said they have just the strategy against those teams.Keep running.“Those players may be taller, but we’re much faster,” said Kang Jae-won, the head coach of the women’s team. “For about a year, we’ve also worked on defensive formations to use agains

July 19, 2012

Korean archers set unofficial world record in practice

South Korean Olympic archers departed for London for the 2012 Summer Olympics Thursday in good spirits, with male marksmen having shot an unofficial world record score twice in their recent practice.The male trio of Oh Jin-hyek, Im Dong-hyun and Kim Bub-min twice scored 235 points out of possible 240 in their team event practice on Wednesday, officials said before archers boarded their London-bound flight at Incheon International Airport.The official world record of 233 was set last year by Oh,

July 19, 2012

Gymnasts eye multiple medals in London

LONDON (Yonhap News) ― South Korea is seeking its first Olympic gold in artistic gymnastics this year at the upcoming London Olympics. Athletes themselves said they are confident they can win multiple medals.Led by head coach Cho Sung-dong, the gymnasts put in their two hours of work at the training facility near North Greenwich Arena, which will host gymnastics during the July 27-Aug. 12 Olympics. The gymnastics delegation was the first batch of South Korean athletes to land here, and athletes

July 19, 2012

Pistorius set for Olympic debut

GEMONA, Italy (AP) ― Even when he’s looking at photos of his bleeding and blistered leg stumps, Oscar Pistorius smiles.And with his Olympic debut approaching, it’s easy to understand why.Pistorius, whose legs were amputated below the knee when he was a baby, is set to make history by running ― yes, running ― in the London Olympics. He will be the first double-amputee athlete to compete at the Olympics, and his journey has been long and rife with hurdles.When he finally got word earlier this mont

July 19, 2012

Lee, Jung look to back up their No. 1 ranking with gold

The following is the third of a series of articles on rival athletes in South Korea’s favorite events at the London 2012 Olympic Games. ―Ed.The Korean badminton team has set its sight on two gold medals in the London 2012 Olympic Games ― one in the men’s doubles and the other in mixed doubles.Of the two disciplines, the men’s double is more favored by Korea as it currently ranks No. 1.On June 21, the six-year Korean duo of Lee Yong-dae and Jung Jae-sung topped the list of men’s doubles rankings

July 19, 2012

Lee, Jung look to back up their No. 1 ranking with gold

Handball squads ready to take on powerful opponents

South Korean men‘s and women’s handball teams have both drawn powerful opponents in their opening stages at the upcoming London Olympics, but the teams‘ coaches and players said Wednesday they are all up for the challenge.At the team launching ceremony in Seoul, only days before the Olympic tournament begins, South Korean coaches spoke of the hard work their players have put in, and their desire to see those efforts bear fruit in London.“The men’s team has the greatest teamwork in the world. We

July 18, 2012

Two-thirds of Koreans expect top-10 finish

More than two-thirds of South Koreans believe their country will finish in the top 10 in the medals table at the upcoming London Olympics, a survey showed Wednesday.Gallup Korea said it polled 1,500 South Koreans over the age of 19 from June 14 to 29 on their expectations of South Korea’s performance at the Olympics, and 68.1 percent said the country will be able to crack the top 10. South Korea is seeking to win at least 10 gold medals for its third straight top-10 position.Before the 2008 Beij

July 18, 2012

Pistorius finishes 2nd in 400

LIGNANO, Italy (AP) ― South African double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius finished second in a 400-meter race in Italy on Tuesday, his final tuneup for the London Olympics.Pistorius clocked 46.56 seconds ― well off the personal best of 45.07 he ran at the same meet last year. Calvin Smith of the United States won in 45.52. “My time wasn’t among the best. But I’m good physically and mentally,” Pistorius said. “I’ve used a lot of energy in these past few days, both in training and with the media

July 18, 2012

Organizers insist early woes minor

LONDON (AP) ― London Games officials dismissed concerns Tuesday over a lost bus driver, a scramble for more security guards and some rain-soaked venues ― embarrassments that had one tabloid newspaper headline using the Olympic rings to spell out the word “OOPS!”Organizers said some of the complaints were exaggerated and tried to put the best face on the unfolding security debacle, as well as other concerns about the games, which start in 10 days.“Let’s put this in proportion,” London Olympics he

July 18, 2012

World record holder vs. World Cup winner

Im, Ellison aim for men’s individual Olympic gold medal The following is the second article in a series on rival athletes in South Korea’s most promising events at the London 2012 Olympic Games. – Ed.Two rivals at the center of attention in the global archery community are Im Dong-hyun of South Korea and Brady Ellison of the U.S.　Im, ranked second in the world, is probably Korean archery’s best hope for an individual gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. So far this medal has eluded him. In fact

July 18, 2012

World record holder vs. World Cup winner