TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014 SPORTS ‘Medal Ceremony Girls’ take up Korean beauty battle INCHEON: North Korea has its “Army of here in Incheon and attract attention from Beauties”, but the rival South is fighting spectators,” Park Seong-Yun, a medal cere- back at the Asian Games with its “Medal mony girl at the weightlifting contest, told Ceremony Girls”. Many South Koreans were AFP.”I don’t want to compare my team with heartbroken when the rival North refused the North Korean cheerleaders, who were to send its renowned cheerleaders to the selected from many beautiful girls, but I pan-Asian sporting event in Incheon, in a think we are better looking,” she said. North political wrangle. Though praising anything Korea’s “Army of Beauties” have taken part about the North is against the law, people in three international sporting events in the in the South admired the troupe of sharply South, and proved a major ticket draw each dressed, good-looking “Army of Beauties” time. The aura surrounding the troupe has first brought to the South when the Asian increased since one veteran, Ri Sol-Ju, Games were held in Busan in 2002. But became the wife of North Korean leader organizers of the Incheon Games hope that Kim Jong-Un. a 204-member South Korean beauty squad Park, 20, said her colleagues have who will carry gold, silver and bronze prizes trained hard to put on a flawless show of for more than 400 medal presentation cer- elegance when they deliver the medals. emonies will grab the spotlight instead. “This is one of the most crucial affairs in my The “Medal Ceremony Girls” are all first- life, and I know my mission is very impor- year students at Inha Technical College in tant,” said Park. Park appeared nervous Incheon, training to become flight atten- before walking into the weightlifting arena dants. Competition for admission is fierce Sunday night when North Korea’s record- with only one in every 100 applicants breaking weightlifter Kim Un-Guk was accepted. For the presentations, the squad awarded a gold medal in the men’s 62kg. members wear a dress based on a tradi- It was Park’s first encounter with a North tional hanbok gown, and their tied-back Korean, but she achieved her mission in hair is topped with a Korean-style tiara as front of a packed audience, including a worn by the country’s former royalty. The dozen North Korean officials and athletes INCHEON: Medal hostesses wait to attend the awards ceremony in the women’s epee individual fencing finals at Goyang gymnasium during the shoes are conservative but still have atti- waving their national flags from the stands. 2014 Asian Games yesterday. — AFP tude with 7.5 centimeter (three inch) heels. “I’m sure they are a delight to watch,” said The girls, with an average height of 5 feet 5 Lee Young-Hee, a professor of aircraft cabin inches (168cm) are proud of their features. service management at Inha, who helped Chen slays Lee as China But they have endured eight weeks of train the South Korean squad. “My students tough training for the Asian Games. They were well qualified because of image- practiced walking with books on their building classwork. After eight weeks of heads or between their knees while carry- special training, they became perfect as ing water bottles on trays for a balanced medal ceremony girls,” she said. The profes- reach badminton final posture. sor was confident that her students would showcase the beauty of South Korean INCHEON: Badminton world champion Chen centration in the third and, despite a few flashes legends in 31-year-old Lee’s Asian Games swan- ‘We are better looking’ women. “Compared to North Korean cheer- Long smashed Malaysian world number one Lee of brilliance, consistent Chen won 21-11, taking a song. Lin, 30, has repeatedly denied the “Training was tough and hard to endure, leaders, my girls have poise and a polite Chong Wei in the men’s team semi-final yester- 2-1 victory.”Both Lee Chong Wei and I wanted to Malaysian gold in major tournaments, including but I could not give up because I wanted to attitude and are better in every aspect,” she day, helping China to book a place in the battle win for our teams, so I prepared very well,” said the Asian Games, Olympics and worlds. compete with North Korean cheerleaders said. — AFP for gold. The Chinese favorites will take on South Chen. “My rhythm was very solid... the key to my The draw is determined by players’ world Korea in the men’s team final today, after the win was keeping a normal mind, whether I was rankings as of September 18 this year, so Lee and hosts easily dispatched Taiwan 3-0. Malaysia winning or losing.” Despite his defeat, Lee said he Chen Long are at opposite ends. With Lin picking faced a difficult task in their clash with a strong was not disappointed. “I tried my best, I just and choosing his competitions these days, he is China team, which featured 25-year-old world enjoyed the game,” he said. Lin saw off Malaysia’s only seeded ninth, scraping into Lee’s half. Lin is number two Chen and superstar Lin Dan. Chong Wei Feng 21-11 21-12 as China romped to likely to face Hong Kong’s Hu Yun, seeded sixth, Chen made a confident start against Lee in a a 3-0 overall win. China’s women’s team will also and Japan’s third seed Kenichi Tago on his way to re-run of this year’s world championship final, face South Korea in their final later. the semis. Lee looks set for an easier ride, with where the Chinese player denied the Malaysian Thailand’s eighth seed Boonsak Ponsana the only gold. Lee looked hesitant in the first game, going Lee-Lin singles clash ranked player he would have to take on before into the break 11-5 down before losing 21-17. Lee’s performance does not bode well for the the semi-final. Chen is the clear favorite in the But the 31-year-old rallied in the second with men’s individual singles competition which starts other half of the draw, with Indonesia’s Tommy both players putting on an amazing display of Thursday and would likely see Lee have to take Sugiarto and South Korea’s Son Wan-Ho his powerful smashes and deft net duels which had on Chen again if he reaches the final. To get there biggest challengers. South Korea’s Son is one to rival fans cheering from opposite sides of the sta- he may also need to defeat nemesis Lin, who is in watch for an upset though, having pulled out dium. Lee took the game 21-19 but it was not to the same half of the draw. Fans are hoping for some inspired performances in the men’s team last as he seemed to lose confidence and con- another classic showdown between the shuttling event in Incheon. — AFP Sun injury blow hit Asiad INCHEON: Injury concerns over Chinese swim- ronment,” insisted Zhang. At the start of day appeal but had to settle for silver. But they hit ming star Sun Yang cast a shadow over the three in Incheon, there was drama on the back with a one-two in the individual event Asian Games yesterday as China snapped up six shooting range as Zhang was kicked out of the led by Khedmati, 18, who beat a strong field INCHEON: China’s Shang Chunsong performs on the balance beam at the Namdong golds to move clear of South Korea on the 10m contest over the weight of her air rifle. including reigning world and Olympic cham- Gymnasium during the artistic gymnastics women’s qualification and team final of medals table. China’s women’s shooters set a But she was eventually allowed to compete pion Yi Siling. “We respect the decision of the the 2014 Asian Games yesterday. — AFP new world record in the 10 meters air rifle but after judges upheld her team’s vehement jury,” Khedmati said. “We always play according only after Zhang Binbin was disqualified and appeal, a lengthy process which delayed the to the rules. The whole team is happy we won then reinstated following a heated appeal. individual final for 30 minutes. Organizers did a gold and two silvers today.” China women romp to China also won the women’s 25m pistol team not reveal details of Zhang’s ban or reinstate- In the men’s team badminton contest, title, the women’s team gymnastics and had vic- ment, which resulted in China taking the gold Malaysia’s world number one Lee Chong Wei gymnastics team gold tories in synchronized swimming and wushu to medal with a record score of 1,253.8 points. slumped to a 2-1 defeat to China’s Chen Long lead hosts South Korea 18 golds to 13. in a repeat of last month’s world champi- INCHEON: China’s women gymnasts delivered Korea’s 214.65, with Japan on 214.35 edged But double Olympic champion Sun opted ‘We respect the decision’ onships final. “I tried my best, I just enjoyed the a performance of ruthless elegance to storm into bronze. to sit out the 4x200m freestyle relay as he A relieved Zhang went on to take bronze in game,” shrugged Lee, who should face his to a crushing victory in the Asian Games team nurses a sore thumb sustained in Sunday’s the individual event, where Iranian teenager Chinese nemesis Lin Dan in the individual event yesterday, as North Korea pipped Japan Thanks, Kim dramatic 200m freestyle final loss to Kosuke Najmeh Khedmati won gold ahead of her competition’s semi-finals.