[Asian Games] S. Korea falls short of target as gap with Japan widens
NAGOYA, Japan — For the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games that ended with the closing ceremony Sunday night, South Korea had set out to win 40 to 45 gold medals and narrow its gap with Japan in the medal race. The country accomplished neither of those goals. South Korea finished with 39 gold medals for its third consecutive third-place finish, behind China and Japan, and this was also South Korea's fewest…
![[Asian Games] S. Korea falls short of target as gap with Japan widens](/img/12022452)
NAGOYA, Japan — South Korea's ambitions for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games concluded on Sunday with a third-place finish, trailing behind China and Japan in the medal standings. The nation had aimed to secure 40-45 gold medals, a target it ultimately did not meet. Moreover, South Korea's gold medal count of 39 represented its lowest tally since 1982, when they claimed 28.
The gap between South Korea and Japan was significantly larger than the one separating them from India, who ended the Games with 21 gold medals. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) had anticipated a challenge in catching Japan, who were expected to benefit from hosting the event. The final result saw South Korea 10 gold medals behind Japan, with Japan claiming 52 gold medals compared to South Korea's 39.
Despite the KSOC's initial goal of narrowing the gap to Japan, the disparity grew as Japan excelled across multiple sports, while South Korea's medal haul was impacted by underperforming performances in certain disciplines. Early in the Games, Japan appeared to establish a substantial lead, and despite initial expectations, South Korea was unable to recover and close the gap significantly.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
