(Asiad) Olympic pistol champion targets 1st Asian Games gold

NAGOYA, Japan – Olympic pistol shooting champion Yang Ji-in aims to secure her first Asian Games gold medal when she competes in the women's 25-meter pistol event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Monday. The event will take place at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery in Toyota, situated east of Nagoya. Alongside the individual medal aspirations, Yang seeks to propel South Korea to the top of the team podium.

Previously, Yang secured bronze in both the individual and team events during the 2023 Asian Games, before clinching the individual gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She will face off against Oh Ye-jin, an Olympic gold medalist in the 10m air pistol event and a participant in the 25m event in Japan. In the 10m air pistol competition at the Asian Games, Oh failed to make the medal cut in the individual event but secured bronze in the team competition.

Also on Monday, weightlifter Won Jong-beom will chase his maiden Asian Games gold after placing sixth three years ago. Currently 30 years old, Won competed in the men's 95-kilogram event at the previous Asian Games, where he finished sixth. He is a 2023 world championship silver medalist in the men's 96kg category, with a total weight of 384kg.

Won achieved gold in clean and jerk at the 2024 world championships, lifting 214kg. The men's handball team faces off against three-time defending champion Qatar in the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.