Glitzy ceremony opens Olympics

SOCHI, Russia (AP) ― It’s designed to celebrate a millennium of Russian might and this country’s modern rebound, and kick off two weeks of extraordinary human endeavors and planetary sportsmanship. But the ceremony opening the Sochi Olympics on Friday, more than anything, was about one man: Vladimir Putin. He charmed and strong-armed his way to hosting the Games at a summer beach resort that he envisioned as a winter paradise. He stared down terrorist threats and worldwide wrath at a scarcely ve

Feb. 7, 2014

Korea set to go for third straight top-10 finish

South Korean athletes are set to go for another top-10 finish in the medal tally in the 2014 Winter Olympics, which kick off in Sochi, Russia, Friday. Officials of the Korean Olympic Committee have said that the goal is to win at least four gold medals, which could place the country in the top 10 for the third straight time. The Wall Street Journal forecasts the country to place joint fifth with Russia and the Netherlands in terms of the number of gold medals, or sixth in the total medal tally.

Feb. 6, 2014

U.S. warns of explosives in toothpaste tubes

The U.S. Homeland Security Department is warning airlines flying to Russia that terrorists may try to smuggle explosives on board hidden in toothpaste tubes.The threat was passed onto airlines that have direct flights to Russia, including some that originate in the United States, according to a law enforcement official speaking Wednesday on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss details of the warning.The official said the airlines were warned that explosive devices coul

Feb. 6, 2014

Most Koreans expect top-10 finish in Sochi

Eight out of 10 South Koreans expect their country to enjoy a top-10 finish in medals at the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics, a poll showed Wednesday.Gallup Korea said in its recent survey of 1,007 adults, ages 19 and over, 81 percent responded that they believe South Korea will rank among the top 10 countries in the medal table at the Feb. 7-23 Winter Games in Russia.South Korea has finished in the top 10 in five of the past six Winter Games, starting with the 1992 edition in Albertville, France

Feb. 5, 2014

Speed skater takes first drug test among S. Koreans in Sochi: official

Speed skating Olympic champion Lee Seung-hoon has taken the first drug test among South Korean athletes at the Sochi Winter Olympics, an official with the athletic delegation said Wednesday.The official said through Tuesday, Lee is the only South Korean athlete to undergo a doping test at this year's Winter Games.The speed skater arrived in Russia on Sunday and submitted his urine and blood samples to an official from the World Anti-Doping Agency the following evening, as part of the random pre-

Feb. 5, 2014

North Korea to miss first Winter Games in 12 years

SOCHI, Russia (Yonhap) ― North Korea will miss the Winter Olympic Games for the first time in 12 years, an Olympics official here said Tuesday.An official with the International Olympic Committee said no North Korean has qualified for the Feb. 7-23 Sochi Winter Games in Russia. North Korean athletes also failed to earn special “wild cards” for the Olympics as granted by international sports federations, the official added. The Sochi Winter Olympics’ website lists North Korea as a participating c

Feb. 4, 2014

N. Korea to miss first Winter Games in 12 years: official

North Korea will miss the Winter Olympic Games for the first time in 12 years, an Olympics official here said Tuesday.An official with the International Olympic Committee said no North Korean has qualified for the Feb. 7-23 Sochi Winter Games in Russia. North Korean athletes also failed to earn special "wild cards" for the Olympics as granted by international sports federations, the official added.The Sochi Winter Olympics' website lists North Korea as a participating country but doesn't display

Feb. 4, 2014

Speed skaters confront 'funny' surface in Sochi

Ahead of the Winter Olympics here in the Russian town of Sochi, South Korean speed skaters face an unexpected challenge: a "funny" ice surface.South Korea boasts three reigning Olympic speed skating champions: Lee Sang-hwa in the women's 500 meters, Mo Tae-bum in the men's 500m and Lee Seung-hoon in the men's 10,000m. The trio and the rest of the team had their first practice at Adler Arena Skating Center, the site of the upcoming Olympic competition, on Monday in Russia. The Olympics' opening c

Feb. 4, 2014

IOC urging Sochi to sort out hotel problems

The IOC is urging Russian Olympic organizers to move quickly to resolve the issue of accommodations that are not ready for accredited media personnel in the mountains outside Sochi.According to the Sochi organizing committee, only six of the nine media hotels in the mountain area are fully operational.Some media have arrived and found they had no place to stay, and thousands of journalists are expected to arrive Monday.The matter was being examined Sunday at a meeting of the International Olympi

Feb. 2, 2014

Five more Koreans qualify for Sochi Winter Olympics

Five more South Korean athletes have qualified for the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics, officials announced Tuesday, adding to the record number of athletes to compete at a Winter Games.The Korean Olympic Committee said two snowboarders and three freestyle skiers have been added to the delegation, which will now have 71 athletes and 49 officials for the Feb. 7-23 Winter Olympics.The previous record for the largest number of athletes at a Winter Games was 48 at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.Acc

Jan. 28, 2014

S. Korean athletes vow winning performance at Sochi

South Korean athletes on Thursday reaffirmed their drive to put in a strong showing at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Russia.Dozens of athletes and officials assembled at the National Training Center in Seoul for their team inauguration ceremony ahead of the Feb. 7-23 Sochi Winter Olympics.Earlier in the day, the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) announced the final list of 64 athletes and 49 officials for Sochi.It will be the country's largest-ever delegation for a Winter Games.At the Vancouver W

Jan. 23, 2014

Trio of Olympic skating champs embraces challenge

A trio of reigning Olympic speed skating champions said Wednesday they’re looking forward to their title defense on a familiar ice surface at the upcoming Sochi Winter Games.Lee Sang-hwa, the women’s 500-meter gold medalist from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, was joined by Mo Tae-bum, the men’s 500 m champ from Vancouver, and Lee Seung-hoon, the men’s 10,000 m winner four years ago, at their joint press conference at the National Training Center in Seoul.They all spoke of their affinity for

Jan. 15, 2014

Korea aims for top-10 finish with Sochi Olympics 30 days away

The countdown to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi reached 30 days on Wednesday, as South Korean athletes set their sight on another top-10 finish in the medal table.   With the clock ticking down, it was business as usual for the athletes at the National Training Center in Seoul, where they're gearing up for the Feb. 7-23 Winter Games in Russia.   Figure skater Kim Yu-na, who will try to win her second straight Olympic gold, and speed skaters Mo Tae-bum and Lee Sang-hwa, two defending Olym

Jan. 8, 2014