Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) — The DPRK showed its rapid progress in sports through the 17th Asian Games.
Its athletes bagged a total of 36 medals at the recent Asiad, including 11 gold medals that mean the highest score the DPRK has earned since its start of participation in the Asian Games.
At the 17th Asian Games they made a “hot wind of DPRK” in football and other events, drawing the attention of world media and sportspersons.
In the football event, in particular, DPRK women and men teams made sweeping victories in the 19-day fierce matches.
Its women football team scored 11 goals in the group league and quarterfinals, without losing even one point and defeated its Japanese rival 3:1 in the finals, thus emerging the three-time winner in the wake of the 14th and 15th Asiads. After the gold-medal match, Kim Kwang Min, coach of the DPRK women’s team, said: “We won the final against Japan and this inevitable result is because of our respected Kim Jong Un taking care of our players. We wanted to repay him for his love and care with victory.”
Meanwhile, the DPRK men’s football team beat UAE and Iraqi rivals, known to be strong teams in Western Asia, and took the silver medal at the games.
In this regard, foreign and south Korean media highlighted the news of matches played by the DPRK footballers and their results, praising the rapid football development in the DPRK.
Football coaches and experts of Japan, China and other countries highly appreciated the strong spirit and skills of the DPRK men and women footballers, expressing deep admiration at the rapid development of the DPRK’s football technique.
In weightlifting the DPRK won four gold medals out of 15 in total and three of its weightlifters set five-time new world records.
The first gold for the DPRK at the games was taken by the world champion and London Olympic gold medalist Om Yun Chol. He broke the world record in men’s 56 kg category by lifting 170 kg in jerk which led to lift of 298 kg in total.
Kim Un Guk, a London Olympic gold medalist, set world records in men’s 62 kg category snatch one time and in total lift twice. On the secret of his success, he told reporters that the credit for it goes to the respected Supreme Commander Kim Jong Un who has given him strength and courage.
Kim Un Ju broke the world record in women’s 75 kg jerk by lifting 164 kg while setting an Asian record with total lift of 292 kg.
Ri Jong Hwa finished first in women’s 58 kg category weightlifting by jerking 134 kg which led to total lift of 236 kg, 1 kg more than hopeful Chinese rival’s total lift.
Besides, weightlifters Kim Myong Hyok and Ryo Un Hui set Asian records in men’s and women’s 69 kg category snatch.
On such successes, world media said that the DPRK’s weightlifting is in the golden age. South Korea’s Yonhap News reported that the DPRK’s weightlifting has risen to be a center of the world weightlifting, with the 2012 London Olympic Games as a starting point.
The DPRK also emerged winner in other sports events of the 17th Asian Games.
Its gymnast Hong Un Jong won a gold medal in women’s vault with more than 15 points and Kim Un Hyang came first in women’s balance beam with 14.700 points.
Jong Hak Jin and Kim Ji Song respectively came first in men’s 57 kg freestyle wrestling and in men’s individual mixed 10m running target shooting.
Jang Un Hui beat her Chinese rival 2:1 in the women’s 75 kg boxing final, bringing to the DPRK the ninth gold medal.
In addition, the DPRK proved successful in judo, diving, synchronized swimming and other events.
Kim Hyok Bong and Kim Jong, who are the champions of the mixed doubles at the 52nd ITTF World Championships (individual event) and the 6th East Asian Games, overthrew their rivals of Hong Kong of China 4:1 in the finals of table-tennis mixed doubles, presenting the country with the 11th gold medal.
The signal achievements, scored by the DPRK athletes at the 17th Asian Games, have put the local people into tumult of joy, greatly inspiring them in their efforts to build a highly civilized nation under the guidance of supreme leader Kim Jong Un. -0-