SEOUL, June 21 (Yonhap) – With each passing day, the push from local organizers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the Tokyo Summer Olympics appears to be gaining momentum, despite the global pandemic, and the question no longer seems to be “if”, but rather “how” will the sporting event take place.
The 32nd edition of the Summer Olympics had to be postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic and will now take place from July 23 to August 8, becoming the first Olympics to take place in an odd year. The countdown will hit 30 days on Wednesday.
Against this backdrop, South Korean athletes, who are vaccinated and eager to compete after a one-year delay, will try to prolong the country’s successful performance at the Summer Olympics.
South Korea has ranked in the top 10 medal winners in the last four JJ. OO. The streak began at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
South Korea won its record 13 gold medals in Beijing 2008 and tied it four years later in London. In 2016, South Korea collected nine gold medals, ranking eighth on the medal table in Rio de Janeiro.
According to the Korea Sports and Olympic Committee (KSOC), 196 South Korean athletes in 25 sports have qualified for the upcoming Olympics, as of last Friday.
The KSOC’s stated goal is to win seven gold, 11 silver and 14 bronze medals, which it believes should be enough to finish in the top 10.
In April, the American sports data analysis firm Gracenote predicted that South Korea will win 9 gold, 10 silver and 6 bronze medals, ranking 10th on the medal table.
Some gold medals could come early in the competition, which begins the day after the opening ceremony, which will take place on July 23.
On July 24, the newly created mixed team archery competition will hold its rounds for medals. The sport has been dominated by South Korea for a long time. In 2016, the country took all four gold medals up for grabs, in men’s and women’s individual events and by men’s and women’s teams.
In addition, that same day, taekwondo competitions begin in the lighter weight categories, both male and female.
In the men’s 58 kilogram category, Jang Jun is a huge favorite for the gold medal. He is the 2019 world champion in the category and won a handful of medals at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix events, in 2018 and 2019.
On the women’s side, Sim Jae-young, who won the world championships in 2017 and 2019 in the 46kg category, will be seeking her first Olympic medal in the 49kg category.
South Korea will have a total of six taekwondo players, its highest number in a JJ. OO., And aim to win at least two gold medals. Lee Dae-hoon, who won a silver medal in London and a bronze medal in Rio de Janeiro, will chase the elusive gold in the men’s 68kg division on July 25.
The archery competition will continue with the women’s team event on July 25. South Korea has won every gold medal in the category since Seoul 1988 and world No. 1 Kang Chae-young will lead the effort to keep the streak alive.
In fencing, South Korea is the world No. 1 in the men’s team saber category and Oh Sang-uk is at the top of the individual saber world rankings.
Oh will participate in the individual event on July 24, paving the way for up to four gold medals for South Korea that day.
On the other hand, Park In-bee will try to defend her gold medal in women’s golf. Although the qualification for the Olympic Games will be determined based on the world “ranking”, at the end of June, Park is entrenched in second place behind his compatriot Ko Jin-young, so it is practically a fact that he will participate in the event. They would be the second JJ. Consecutive OO for Park.
Kim Sei-young and Kim Hyo-joo will complete the South Korean foursome in Tokyo. All four have won major titles from the Professional Women’s Golf Association (LPGA) and pressure-filled environments are not new to them.
South Korea is the current Olympic baseball champion, although the gold medal came 13 years ago, in Beijing. Baseball, which has only been played in the men’s category, was withdrawn from the Olympics afterward, but will return this summer. The host, Japan, is also a proud baseball nation and will do everything possible to prevent South Korea from winning gold again.
Also, Jun Woong-tae is a contender for a modern pentathlon medal. South Korea has never had an Olympic medalist in such a sport and Jun, a four-time world champion and gold medalist at the 2018 Asian Games, represents the country’s best hope so far.
