With the Asian Games at home a few days away, South Korean wrestlers said Thursday they are eyeing a return to the sport’s glory days.

South Korea grabbed at least five gold medals in wrestling at every Asian Games from 1986 to 2006, but was shut out of titles at the 2010 Asian Games, setting for three silver medals and six bronze medals.

Greco-Roman wrestler Kim Hyeon-woo won the men’s 75 kg division at the 2012 Olympics, and he and Ryu Han-su, also a Greco-Roman star, each won a world title last year.

Building on that momentum, the South Koreans have set their sights on winning five gold medals in Incheon, the host of the 17th Asiad from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.

“At the Asian Games right at home, you will see the new face of wrestling,” said Lim Sung-soon, president of the Korea Wrestling Federation, at the national team’s media day at the National Training Center in Seoul. “Our athletes will put everything on the line to win gold medals and also to win back our fans.”

An Han-bong, coach of the Greco-Roman squad and a former Olympic champ, said his athletes are determined to win every weight class. Park Jang-soon, the freestyle coach and also an ex-Olympic gold medalist, said his wrestlers are eager to see their efforts bear fruit in Incheon.

Kim Hyeon-woo is the odds-on favorite in his weight class. The 25-year-old has an Olympic gold, a world championship and an Asian championship to his credit, and an Asian Games gold this year will complete the rare “grand slam” of wrestling titles.

“I will let my action do the talking,” Kim said. “My goal is to inspire our people with my performances on the mat.”

Ryu Han-su, the reigning world champ in the 66 kg class, said he has endured rigorous training “so that I could win battles against myself before I could beat my opponents.”

Aside from the two in Greco-Roman, Jung Ji-hyun, the 2004 Olympic champion in the 60 kg class, will be competing in the 71 kg division this time in pursuit of his first Asiad gold. Kim Young-joon in the 59 kg division is also considered a contender.

Officials here say Yun Jun-sik and Lee Seung-chul are medal hopefuls in the men’s freestyle.

On the women’s side, Lee Yu-mi in the 48 kg is the host country’s biggest hope. (Yonhap)