Korea's taekwondo squad leaves Hangzhou with five gold medals
Korea's Lee Da-bin, left, competes in the women's +67kg taekwondo competition at the Lin'an Sports Culture & Exhibition Centre in Hangzhou, China, during the 19th Asian Games, Sept. 28. Yonhap
South Korea's taekwondo squad wrapped up its Asian Games journey Thursday, with five gold medals, two silvers and two bronzes.
Its golden streak began on the first day of medal competitions at the 19th Asian Games, Sunday. The country swept up two titles in the men's and women's individual poomsae, a non-contact pattern demonstration taekwondo event.
Kang Wan-jin got the ball rolling by taking the men's individual poomsae title over Ma Yun Zhong of Chinese Taipei at Lin'an Sports Culture & Exhibition Centre in Hangzhou.
Cha Yea-eun followed suit by claiming the women's individual title over Yuiko Niwa of Japan later in the day.
Korean taekwondo practitioner Park Woo-hyeok poses for a photo during the medal ceremony after winning the men's -80kg competition at the Lin'an Sports Culture & Exhibition Centre in Hangzhou, China, in the 19th Asian Games, Sept. 27. Yonhap
From Monday, kyorugi, or sparring, competitions yielded seven medals, including three golds for Korea.
Jang Jun defeated Mahdi Hajimousaeinafouti of Iran in the gold medal match for the men's flyweight -58kg class and Park Hye-jin was crowned champion of the women's -53kg discipline over Lin Wei Chun of Chinese Taipei.
The fifth gold medal was from Park Woo-hyeok, who beat Saleh Elsharabaty of Jordan in the final of the men's -80kg competition.
The mixed gender team of Seo Geon-woo, Park Woo-hyeok, Kim Jan-di and Lee Da-bin finished second in the team event after losing to host China in the final.
On the last day of competition, Lee Da-bin sought her third straight Asian Games gold in the women's heavyweight +67kg class, but was defeated by China's Zhou Zeqi in the final.
In the men's -68kg class, Jin Ho-jun finished third and Kim Yu-jin took the bronze medal in the women's -57kg event.
In the previous 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, South Korea earned five gold medals from taekwondo, along with five second-place finishes and two bronze medals. (Yonhap)