.jpg) South Korean gymnast Yoo Won-chul competes on the men's parallel bars at the Beijing Olympic Games, Tuesday. Yoo scored 16.250 points to earn the silver medal. / Yonhap |
By Kang Seung-wooStaff Reporter
South Korean gymnast Yoo Won-chul earned a silver medal in the men's parallel bars Tuesday at the Beijing Olympics.
The 24-year-old used a collection of high flips and steady handstands to score 16.250 points and finish second in the eight-man final held at China's National Indoor Stadium.
China's Li Xiaopeng claimed his second gold medal of the Beijing Games, adding to the gold he won in the men's team competition last week.
Li, a 27-year-old, two-time world champion, also won golds in the team competition and parallel bars at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Korea's Yang Tae-young, an Athens bronze medalist in the individual all-around, finished seventh Tuesday in the parallel bars with 15.650 points.
``I committed a few mistakes during my routine,'' Yoo said. ``I really want to win gold in the team event and parallel bars at the London Olympics in four years.''
The Korean women's handball team beat China 31-23 to earn its seventh straight berth in the Olympic semifinals.
The Korean squad, which has an average age of 34.7, will play its semifinal match against European handball power Norway on Thursday.
The Chinese team, coached by South Korean handball great Kang Jae-won, was trailing by only two points 10 minutes into the second half.
However, a string of goals by Park Chung-hee and Moon Pil-hee, who finished with eight and six points respectively, helped South Korea maintain its lead.
Veteran Oh Seong-ok, who's playing in her fourth Olympics, netted three goals, while goalkeeper Oh Yong-ran continued to make dazzling saves by denying 19 shots.
South Korea's baseball team remained undefeated in the Beijing Olympics after rallying to defeat Cuba 7-4.
With the victory, South Korea improved its record to 6-0 in Beijing and ensured itself of finishing atop the preliminary-round standings. South Korea will play its final preliminary game against the Netherlands Wednesday and will face the fourth-place team in Friday's semifinals.
Tuesday's win was the first time Korea has beaten Cuba in an official baseball game since 1999.
Cuba (5-1), which came into the contest as the only other undefeated team in the tournament, built a 3-0 lead in the second inning, thanks to hits by Ariel Pestano and Giorbis Duvergel.
But South Korea, which was held hitless by Norge Luis Vera until the third, plated five runs in the fourth. After Kang Min-ho and Ko Young-min contributed hits to help tie the game 3-3, South Korea took a 5-3 lead on a throwing error by Cuba's Norberto Gonzalez.
Korea added one run in both the sixth and seventh innings, while Cuba managed one run in the eighth.
South Korean starter Song Seung-jun pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed three runs and five hits.
The Korean women's basketball team was drubbed 104-60 by the United States in the quarterfinals.
Korea had a 19-18 lead in the first quarter against the U.S. team, which came into the contest with a 30-game winning streak.
But the lead did not last. The Koreans were held to a total of 18 points in the second and the third quarters, while the U.S. team, comprised of players from the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), poured in 52 points during that span.
Worse, the Koreans' long-range shooting, its main weapon against the taller and stronger Americans, was ineffective, with them going 5 for 25 from 3-point range. The Koreans were also outrebounded 50-24.
Korea was eliminated from the men's field hockey tournament after losing 2-1 against Spain in its final match of the group phase.
Spain's Santiago Freixa netted goals in the 12th and 53rd minutes.
Korea's Yoon Sung-hoon found the net with 1:30 remaining.
ksw@koreatimes.co.kr
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