[Weekender] What to watch out for at FINA World Championships

The 18th FINA World Aquatics Championships kick off a 17-day run in the southwestern city of Gwangju, Friday, a biennial meet of the world’s swimming and diving stars. Taking place at five different venues in Gwangju and nearby Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, through July 28, this year’s event is the largest ever, with 2,639 athletes from 194 countries participating. Here are some of the interesting storylines to follow.  A prelude to 2020 Tokyo Olympics With a year to go until th

July 12, 2019

[Weekender] Expect faster swims at Yeosu open-water races

It is quite a spectacle to watch dozens of athletes jump into the ocean at once and swim to the horizon.   Open-water swimming, the long-distance sport that takes place in outdoor bodies of water, gained recognition as an official Olympic sport in 2008 and will also be one of the six disciplines at the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships. In much-anticipated races, men and women will compete in separate courses of 5, 10 and 25 kilometers, as well as a 5-kilometer mixed team rel

July 12, 2019

[Weekender] Old apartments reborn as athletes’ village

Once a run-down housing complex, the athletes’ village in Gwangju’s western district of Gwangsan is now a vivacious mini globe, bustling with thousands of athletes, staff and media members during the FINA World Aquatics Championships. Rebuilt by Gwangju-based constructor Jungheung, the complex comprises 25 apartment buildings with 15 to 25 floors and a host of facilities for its diverse population to mingle and relax, spanning a land area of 94,131 square meters.  With a total o

July 12, 2019

[Weekender] Global stars poised to make a splash in Gwangju

The 18th FINA World Aquatics Championships bring together the world’s top talent in swimming, diving and other water sports for the 17-day sporting event. Over 2,600 athletes from 194 countries will compete for 76 gold medals in six disciplines -- swimming, diving, high diving, artistic swimming, open water swimming and water polo. Here are some of the international athletes to watch out for. Katie Ledecky (Swimming, US) At the 2012 London Olympics, then-15-year-old Ledecky won her fi

July 12, 2019

Festival heating up Gwangju with music, culture on eve of FINA

On the eve of the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships, which kick off in Gwangju on Friday, the host city is holding a cultural festival.According to the city government and the organizing committee for the international event, the festival will take place in the Geumnam-ro area, about 30 minutes from the Nambu University campus, the main venue of the competition. Street markets and activities to get the local residents and tourists involved and create a festive atmosphere got started at 4 p.

July 11, 2019

S. Korea eyes medal with largest-yet delegation at World Aquatic Championships

South Korean swimmers are shooting for the country’s 1st medal since 2011 in the upcoming 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships, to kick off Friday in Gwangju. On its home turf, the country is sending its largest-ever team to the championship with 82 athletes, 29 in swimming, eight in diving, 26 in water polo, 11 in artistic swimming and eight in open water swimming. One star who will not be joining the team is Park Tae-hwan, the first and only swimmer in the country’s history to ha

July 11, 2019

Gwangju raises curtain on FINA World Championships

World-class swimmers have arrived, tickets are almost sold out, safety precautions have been taken, and venues have been prepared as Gwangju puts the finishing touches on hosting the FINA World Championships 2019, slated for kick off on Friday to be continued until July 28.The entries for this year’s event closed last week with 2,639 athletes from 194 countries throwing in their hats to compete under the slogan “Dive into Peace.” They will be vying for 76 gold medals across six

July 11, 2019

[Weekender] High diving: Plunging 27 meters in 3 seconds

Just the sight of a makeshift diving platform standing 27 meters tall beside a round pool of water is enough to give viewers goose bumps. Imagine athletes performing a death-defying plunge, doing somersaults and twists before hitting the water feet first. No wonder high diving has drawn the most attention from spectators during the 18th FINA World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, selling out 6,500 tickets in total. The organizing committee will add more tickets for high diving, al

July 11, 2019

[Weekender] Gwangju hopes to become ‘city of water sports’ via FINA championships: mayor

GWANGJU -- Gwangju Metropolitan City is well known as the site of the May 1980 Democratization Movement and a “city of gastronomy” for its savory dishes. The southwestern city is now poised to become a “city of water sports” as it hosts the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships.With a record 72,000 people -- professional and amateur athletes, members of the media and related officials -- from 193 countries participating, the 18th biennial championships look set to bolste

July 11, 2019

Over 2,600 athletes to compete at swimming world championships in S. Korea

More than 2,600 athletes from 194 countries will compete at the upcoming world swimming championships in South Korea.The organizing committee for the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, announced Sunday that 2,639 athletes across six disciplines will take part in the July 12-28 competition. Registration closed last Wednesday.They will be vying for 76 gold medals in swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming, open water swimming and high diving.With 8

July 7, 2019

Warriors hang on to stay alive, win Game 5 of NBA finals

TORONTO (AP) -- Stephen Curry scored 31 points, Klay Thompson added 26 and they led a season-saving surge that gave the Golden State Warriors a 106-105 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night in Game 5 of the NBA finals.　 The Splash Brothers combined for three straight 3-pointers in the closing minutes after Toronto had taken a six-point lead with under 3 1/2 minutes remaining in front of a raucous, red-shirted crowd.　 The Warriors lost Kevin Durant barely a quarter after getting him ba

June 12, 2019

World swimming champs not making a splash in S. Korea

Organisers of next month's world swimming championships in South Korea are facing the prospect of half-filled grandstands, figures showed Friday, with only around one-third of tickets sold.A total of 419,000 tickets are available for the FINA World Championships taking place in the southern cities of Gwangju and Yeosu, from July 12-28.But only about 149,000 have been taken up since they went on sale in January, organisers said Friday -- just over 35 percent. Around 140,000 of those were block-bo

June 7, 2019

[Newsmaker] Two-time Olympic speed skating champion Lee Sang-hwa announces retirement

Two-time Olympic speed skating gold medalist Lee Sang-hwa announced her retirement Friday, putting an end to an illustrious career that includes a world record and multiple world championships.In a press release, Lee, 30, said she will have a formal retirement ceremony in Seoul next Thursday.Lee will go down as one of South Korea's greatest winter sport athletes ever and also among the very best speed skaters of her generation.Lee won the gold medal in the women's 500 meters at the 2010 Vancouve

May 10, 2019

[Eye] A day in the life of a Kenyan-born Korean marathoner

CHEONGYANG, South Chungcheong Province -- Deep in the countryside in Cheongyang County, best known for its ultra-spicy chili peppers, an aspiring Olympic marathoner lives in an old hanok residence. Born in Kenya as Wilson Loyanae Erupe and naturalized in South Korea as Oh Joo-han, he runs several kilometers along a branch of the Geum River every morning, aiming for a medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. “I like (it) here,” said the 31-year-old athlete, standing in his front yard where clothes

April 19, 2019

S. Korean women's curling posts highest-ever position for Asian team in world rankings

The South Korean women's curling team earned its highest-ever world ranking on Thursday after climbing up to second place.South Korea moved up four spots to finish second with 65.907 points in the latest women's world rankings released by the World Curling Federation. South Korea was behind Sweden, which amassed 81.569 points.  (Yonhap)According to the WCF, this is the highest-ever position for a Pacific-Asia team in women's world rankings that was first introduced in 2006. South Korea grabbed i

March 28, 2019

S. Korean Lim Eun-soo finishes 10th at figure skating worlds

South Korean figure skater Lim Eun-soo finished in 10th place at her first senior world championships on Friday, while competing with an injury sustained in a controversial incident involving an American rival.Lim scored 205.57 points at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan. Lim was fifth after Wednesday's short program with a personal-best 72.91 points and also set a new personal high in the free skate with 132.66 points on Friday.It was the

March 22, 2019

[Newsmaker] US apologizes to S. Korean figure skater after controversial incident

The US figure skating team at the world championships has apologized to injured South Korean skater Lim Eun-soo following a controversial incident involving her American rival.The Korea Skating Union said the US delegation insisted on Thursday that Mariah Bell didn't intend to hurt Lim when they collided during a warmup before Wednesday's short program at the International Skating Union World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan. In this Associated Press photo, Lim Eun-soo of South Kor

March 22, 2019

New nat'l training center chief vows to restore pride, trust for athletes

The new chief of the main national athletic training center vowed on Thursday to restore pride and trust for athletes after a series of assault scandals rocked South Korea's sports community.Shin Chi-yong, a legendary volleyball coach, was officially introduced as the head of the National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, the main training ground for South Korean national team athletes, last month."We're doing our best to restore trust," Shin said to reporters at the Natio

March 14, 2019

S. Korean skeleton slider to compete at world championships with full confidence

South Korean skeleton slider Yun Sung-bin said Thursday that he is ready to show his best at the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation World Championships. Yun, the 2018 Winter Olympics gold medalist in men's skeleton, will compete at the IBSF World Championships in Whistler, Canada, on Friday. He is looking for his first gold at the worlds.(Yonhap)"I've been competing this whole season to race at the worlds," Yun said through his Seoul-based agency. "I'm in my best form right now."After

March 7, 2019

Speed skater stands by harassment allegations against ex-teammate, claims to have evidence

South Korean speed skater Kim Bo-reum said Thursday she stands by allegations of harassment she raised against a former teammate, adding she has materials to back up her claims.Kim was embroiled in a bullying scandal during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics last year, when she was accused of leaving fellow skater Noh Seon-yeong behind on purpose during a team pursuit race. This file photo from Feb. 21, 2018, shows South Korean speed skaters Kim Bo-reum (L) and Noh Seon-yeong at Gangneung Oval in G

Feb. 21, 2019