The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
  • Multicultural Youth Award
Biz & Tech
  • Auto
  • IT
  • Game
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail & Food
  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Airlines
Finance
  • Policies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Banks
  • Non-banks
  • Economic Essay Contest
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Arts
  • Books
  • Travel & Cuisine
  • Trend
  • Fashion
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
  • K-pop
  • K-dramas & Shows
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Performances
  • Asia Model Festival
Sports
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Baseball
  • Other Sports
World
  • Asia Pacific
  • Americas
  • Europe & Africa
  • SCMP
Video
  • On the Spot
  • Feature
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
Community
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
  • Multicultural Youth Award
Fri, January 22, 2021 | 00:30
2015 Gwangju Universiade
Universiade just a tune-up ahead of Rio Games
Posted : 2015-07-12 16:45
Updated : 2015-07-12 22:13
Mail
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
By Kwon Ji-youn

In a recent interview, judoka An Chang-rim stressed that standards at the Universiade are in some measure lower than at other international sporting events. Even so, Korea has sent some of its best athletes to compete at the World University Games taking place in its southwestern city of Gwangju.

This may be why the country has been sitting atop the medal standings for so long. Russia, too, fielded a delegation of 672 athletes, including some of its finest in track and field, to the 2013 Universiade in Kazan, where the hosts capped the medals table with an overwhelming lead over runner-up China. Russia took 156 of 353 gold at stake, while China finished with just 26.

In Gwangju, Korea has held the top spot for seven straight days, and boasts an aggregate of 43 gold, 28 silver and 26 bronze as of 10 p.m. Sunday.

According to Prof. Kim Hyun-duck of Keimyung University, Korea and Russia are among very few countries that send delegations studded with top-caliber competitors to the Universiade.

"The International University Sports Federation's (FISU) influence in the sports industry has been increasing, but it remains a fact that most countries do not send their best athletes to the Universiade," he said. "The drafts aren't very competitive. But in Korea, the Universiade is recognized as an event of international level, and here, athletes receive compensation for medaling. And it's natural that the hosts do their best."

This year, Russia decided not to send its top-ranked gymnasts Margarita Mamun and Yana Kudryavtseva to Gwangju due to fears of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and China's table tennis team is comprised of second-tier players who don't normally compete in the International Table Tennis Federation World Circuit. Meanwhile, Asian Games gold medalist Son Yeon-jae spearheads the Korean rhythmic gymnastics team, and players on the Korean table tennis team are very well known in the World Circuit. Slovenia sent its second-tier national basketball team to this year's Universiade, while Canada sent an all-Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) men's basketball team with the aim of giving them international experience.

But this isn't the case for all countries and all sports, and so for select athletes, the Universiade is serving more or less as a final tune-up ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. A handful of Olympic medal favorites from around the world have joined their country's delegations in Gwangju to give their programs a once-over before they head to the Brazilian city next year, and the competition they have brought has given Korean athletes a chance to brush up on their own campaigns. More than 150 Universiade medalists competed at the 2012 London Olympics and won 75 gold medals and 174 medals total in 21 sports.

The Korean gymnastics team, comprised of Yang Hak-seon, Park Min-soo, Lee Jun-ho, Jo Yeong-gwang and Lee Hyeok-jung, will attempt to improve on their silver-medal finish in the team finals when they represent the country in Rio. Park, in particular, finished fourth in the men's horizontal bar event with a score just 0.266 points short of Fabian Hambuechen's, brightening his prospects for next year's mega sporting event. Given that the German's main stage since 2004 has been the Olympics and world championships, Park's Universiade appearance will have taught him a few things that will help him better prepare.

The shooting team won more medals than they thought they would, and Park Dae-hun's triple and Kim Ji-hye's double have heightened expectations for Rio. "I'm glad to have performed so well at my very last Universiade," Kim said. "I now look to Rio with more confidence."

Son, who is looking to Rio for her first Olympic podium finish, faces competition in Melitina Staniouta, who won an individual all-around bronze at the 2013 Baku Universiade. Sprinter Kim Kuk-young broke the Korean record in the men's 100m event at the Universiade to win tickets to both the world championships in August and the Rio Games. Other young athletes to represent Korea at Rio include tennis star Chung Hyeon, archer Ki Bo-bae and judoka Wang Ki-chun.

Emailjykwon@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
Korea secures No. 1 spot at Gwangju Universiade
GWANGJU - The host of the 2015 Gwangju Universiade, Korea, secured No. 1 spot on the medals table, Suday, for the first time in the country's summer Universiade saga. ...









 
WooriBank
 
  • Biracial Korean teacher promotes openness through education
  • International students to be included in mandatory health insurance program
  • Man gets life sentence for killing girlfriend and her sister
  • [EXCLUSIVE] Vingroup seeks to acquire LG smartphone manufacturing plants
  • Joe Biden sworn in as 46th president of the United States
  • Lotte's dwindling revenues attributed to failure to embrace innovation
  • Foreigners without face masks punished with push-ups in Bali
  • Biden takes office as 46th president [PHOTOS]
  • New virus cases in 400s for 2nd day amid downward trend
  • 'We'll see each other again': Trump leaves White House
  • Actress Park Si-yeon apologizes after getting nabbed for drunk driving Actress Park Si-yeon apologizes after getting nabbed for drunk driving
  • 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay' star Oh Jung-se returns with powerful social drama 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay' star Oh Jung-se returns with powerful social drama
  • Netflix's 'Busted!' stars and producer share glimpse of finale Netflix's 'Busted!' stars and producer share glimpse of finale
  • Why have K-pop dance practice videos become so popular? Why have K-pop dance practice videos become so popular?
  • TREASURE sells 1 million albums in 5 months since debut TREASURE sells 1 million albums in 5 months since debut
DARKROOM
  • Biden takes office as 46th president [PHOTOS]

    Biden takes office as 46th president [PHOTOS]

  • Biden-Harris inauguration is taking shape

    Biden-Harris inauguration is taking shape

  • Second Trump impeachment

    Second Trump impeachment

  • Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol

    Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol

  • Our children deserve better (Part 2)

    Our children deserve better (Part 2)

WooriBank
  • About Korea Times
  • CEO Message
  • Times History
  • Content Sales
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Location
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Ombudsman
  • hankookilbo
  • Dongwha Group
  • Code of Ethics
Copyright