World martial arts competition kicks off in Chungju

About 3,200 martial arts masters and officials from 106 countries gathered in Chungju, a city in the central South Korean province of North Chungcheong, on Friday to kick off the 2019 Chungju World Martial Arts Masterships.The competition, dubbed the Martial Arts Olympics, will continue through Sept. 6 at Chungju Gymnasium and seven other venues in Chungju, about 150 kilometers southeast of Seoul, under the slogan “Beyond the Times, Bridge the World.” A total of 2,414 athletes, accom

Aug. 30, 2019

[Newsmaker] Chung Hyeon stages huge comeback to win 2nd round match at US Open

South Korean tennis player Chung Hyeon has completed a big comeback to reach the third round at the US Open.Chung, world No. 170, defeated the 34th-ranked Fernando Verdasco 1-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on Thursday (local time). Chung rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the fifth set and saved a match point to force a tiebreak. He then charged out to a 5-0 lead before finishing off Verdasco 7-3 in a match that lasted three hours and 21 minutes.Nex

Aug. 30, 2019

Chung Hyeon rallies to take 1st round match at US Open

South Korean tennis player Chung Hyeon has rallied to win his first round match at the season's final Grand Slam tournament.Chung, ranked 170th, defeated American Ernesto Escobedo (206th) in five sets, 3-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-2, at the US Open men's singles at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on Tuesday (local time).By winning the 3:37 marathon affair, Chung has reached the second round at the US Open for the third consecutive year. He will take on Fernando Verdasco of Spa

Aug. 28, 2019

S. Korea beats China to finish 3rd at Asian women's volleyball tourney

Host South Korea finished third at the Asian Women's Volleyball Championship on Sunday with a straight-set victory over China. South Korea took care of China 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-22) at Jamsil Arena in Seoul for its second consecutive third-place finish. At the biennial event in 2017, South Korea also prevailed over China to take the third spot.South Korea is a first-time host of the Asian championship, which was inaugurated in 1975. The country has never won the event, with seven runner-up fin

Aug. 25, 2019

S. Korea falls to Japan in semifinals at Asian women's volleyball tourney

Host South Korea lost to Japan in the semifinals of the Asian Women's Volleyball Championship on Saturday, coming up short in a bid to claim its first continental title on home court.Japan rallied after dropping the first set for a 3-1 (22-25, 25-23, 26-24, 28-26) victory at Jamsil Arena in Seoul and moved on to Sunday's final. It will face the winner of the other semifinal clash between Thailand and China, scheduled for later Saturday.The loser of that match will take on South Korea in the thir

Aug. 24, 2019

S. Korea beats Thailand at continental volleyball tournament, avenges Asian Games loss

South Korea got the better of Thailand at the continental women's volleyball tournament on Friday, avenging a loss from last year's Asian Games.World No. 9 South Korea came away with a hard-fought victory over the 14th-ranked Thailand by the score of 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-17, 25-21). South Korea had fallen to Thailand in the semifinals of the Asian Games in Jakarta last August, getting denied in its bid for a second straight gold medal.Nine of 14 Thai players faced South Korea at the Asian Games

Aug. 23, 2019

8 years, 3 doping cases later, race walker becomes 1st S. Korean with world championships medal

It's been a long time coming, and race walker Kim Hyun-sub has finally become the first South Korean to win a world championships medal, set to receive a prize that he should have been awarded eight years ago on home soil.Kim finished the men's 20-kilometer race walk in sixth place at the 2011 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Daegu, 300 km southeast of Seoul. But three athletes who finished ahead of him have since been stripped of their records bec

Aug. 21, 2019

South Korean Lee Duck-hee notches landmark ATP win

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- Lee Duck-hee became the first deaf player to win an ATP main draw match on Monday, waiting out a rain delay to beat Henri Laaksonen in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The 21-year-old from South Korea was two points from victory when thunderstorms swept through the area.When he and Switzerland's Laaksonen returned some five hours later Lee quickly polished off a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 victory."I never expected to get through this one," said Lee, who had won the final three po

Aug. 20, 2019

[Weekender] Finding balance on fast and furious water

Trying to stand on ferociously turbulent water is definitely an effective way to get an adrenaline rush. And indoor facilities allow enthusiasts to experience that all year round, amid the growing popularity of surfing here.  “In South Korea, it is hard to surf. Japan blocks the waves, so beaches do not really pick up swells. Given this, indoor surfing can be a nice option,” said Lee Sang-jun, who manages Flow House Yongin, an indoor surfing facility, at the Lotte Premium Outlet

Aug. 9, 2019

[Weekender] Flying above the water

On a heat-soaked afternoon in Seoul, the placid waters of the Han River suddenly burst with energy. A figure mounted on top of what looks like a futuristic water-propelled jet pack performs energetic and acrobatic feats above the water -- just like the Iron Man. This is flyboarding, the latest water sport to hit the Han River in South Korea. Perfect for thrill-loving adventurers, it is fun, exhilarating and, according to pro rider Park Jin-min, safe and easy. “It is a misunderstanding

Aug. 9, 2019

[Newsmaker] Olympic short track champion Lim Hyo-jun banned for 1 year for sexually harassing male teammate

Olympic short track speed skating champion Lim Hyo-jun has been suspended for one year for sexually harassing a male teammate. The Korea Skating Union reached the decision Thursday evening, saying Lim, who won a gold medal in the men's 1,500m at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, will be banned from all skating-related activities until Aug. 7, 2020.During training on June 17, Lim pulled down the pants of a younger teammate with female skaters present at Jincheon National Training Center in Ji

Aug. 9, 2019

[Gwangju 2019] FINA calls athletes' podium protests 'unfortunate'

The international swimming governing body on Sunday said athletes' podium protests against a fellow swimmer facing doping allegations at the world championships were "unfortunate."Cornel Marculescu, executive director of FINA, also said FINA is one of the world's leading sports organizations in the fight against doping, trying to dispel notions that it's more concerned about controlling athletes' behavior than the use of performance-enhancing substances in the sport. "We're here t

July 28, 2019

[Gwangju 2019] Chief organizer says Gwangju Worlds have been a success

The top organizer of the 2019 FINA World Championships in South Korea said Sunday that the 17-day aquatics competition have been successful in terms of performances and financial efficiency."After two weeks of an outstanding aquatics show, the 2019 Gwangju World Championships have finished the 17th day of competition," Lee Yong-sup, head of the organizing committee, said in a press conference.He said FINA, the international swimming governing body, recognizes the Gwangju championships

July 28, 2019

[Gwangju Swimming] 2 Americans break world records in swimming

Two American swimmers broke world records at the world championships on Friday.First was Caeleb Dressel winning the men's 100m butterfly semis at the FINA World Championships in 49.50. Dressel topped Michael Phelps' 10-year-old record by 0.32. Minutes later, Regan Smith set a new world record in the women's 200m backstroke, winning the semifinals at 2:03.35. The previous record, set by Missy Franklin of the United States in 2012, was 2:04.06.Smith, 17, had set the junior world record in thi

July 26, 2019

[Gwangju Swimming] US pulls off three-peat in women's water polo

GWANGJU -- The United States captured its third straight world title in women's water polo on Friday, defeating Spain 11-6 to cap off an undefeated run to the top.The US became the first team in FINA World Championships history to win three consecutive women's water polo titles. Friday's game was a rematch of the 2017 final, when the Americans prevailed 13-6. The US never trailed in the match that was held on a day of heavy downpours.The US led 3-1 after the opening quarter. Spain pulled ev

July 26, 2019

[Gwangju Swimming] Water polo stars hope sport will grow after 1st world championships victory

Sometimes, all it takes is one moment to spark wider interest in a sport. And South Korean men's water polo players are hoping that theirs came Tuesday with their first world championships victory.South Korea defeated New Zealand 17-16 after four quarters of regulation and a penalty shootout at the FINA World Championships.It was South Korea's first victory at the biennial competition. "I hope our performance here will help grow water polo at the grassroots level," said captain Lee Seo

July 23, 2019

Kim Seo-yeong not dwelling on disappointing result

During her training for the women's 200m individual medley at the world championships, South Korean swimmer Kim Seo-yeong was so confident that she felt she could break her own national record.And that confidence never waned in the warmup at Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center in Gwangju on Monday. And the 25-year-old carried that self-assurance into the pool in the final.Kim left the water wondering where it had gone. She finished sixth among eight finalists at the FINA World Championshi

July 23, 2019

Swimmers 'don't trust' Sun as doping row boils over

 GWANGJU, South Korea (AFP) - World championship swimmers slammed China's Sun Yang over lurid doping allegations and said competitors were firmly behind Australia's Mack Horton, who snubbed the Olympic star on the podium.    America's Matt Grevers claimed many competitors "don't trust" Sun, while world record-holder Lilly King revealed athletes "erupted in applause" after Horton refused to join his rival on the podium for photos after the 400 metres f

July 22, 2019

Malfunctioning equipment forces solo re-races in preliminary

Malfunctions with the starting equipment forced two swimmers to race alone in the heats of the men's 100m backstroke at the world championships on Monday.    Simone Sabbioni of Italy and Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago both had their initial races disrupted when the wedge, which allows backstroke swimmers to gain leverage off the wall, gave way.     Sabbioni had to race alone twice, as the wedge failed again in his second attempt. On his third race, Sabbion

July 22, 2019

Tears flow as water polo players head into uncertain future

After losing their last game of the world championships on Monday, South Korean women's water polo players shared teary hugs.No, they weren't consoling each other because they lost to Cuba 30-0 to finish in last place in the 16-team tournament at the FINA World Championships. They were sad that they now had to go their separate ways -- most of them back to school -- because, as it stands, the national women's team will cease to exist. There are no professional or semi-pro clubs that these buddin

July 22, 2019