Jincheon: With the 2026 Asian Games in Japan merely weeks away, South Korea called on its athletes to do their nation proud at the quadrennial competition. The Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) held the launch ceremony for the national delegation for the 20th Asian Games, to be held in and around the Japanese prefecture of Aichi, from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4. Nagoya, capital of Aichi, will serve as the main host city.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea will be represented by 792 athletes and 260 officials in 41 out of 43 sports. Lee Sang-hyun, president of the Korea Cycling Federation, will serve as head of the delegation. About 800 athletes and officials were on hand for Thursday's ceremony at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, some 85 kilometers south of Seoul.
The KSOC has said the goal is to win about 45 gold medals and finish inside the top three for the 13th consecutive Asiad. Along with South Korea, China and Japan have formed the big three in Asian Games, with China having long dominated medal races and Japan having toppled South Korea at each of the past two editions to finish in second place.
At this year's competition, South Korea is counting on multiple gold medals in sports such as archery, swimming, shooting, fencing, taekwondo, badminton, and modern pentathlon. The KSOC has also predicted at least one gold medal each from athletics, football, artistic gymnastics, and sport climbing, among others.
In a message read by Sports Minister Chae Hwi-young during the team launch ceremony, President Lee Jae Myung said he was proud of the athletes for pushing their limits and overcoming adversity to earn a chance to represent the nation. "I am convinced that your perseverance and resilience will touch the hearts of many people in South Korea and around the world," Lee said. "The government will be by your side throughout your journey to make sure you will be able to compete in your best condition and finish the event healthy."
KSOC President Ryu Seung-min, the 2004 Olympic table tennis champion who competed at two Asian Games, noted the unique challenges of this year's Asian Games, with venues spread across Aichi and the conspicuous absence of a designated athletes' village. "You will have to get accustomed to different circumstances than what you are normally used to, but I believe the strength of our delegation lies in your ability to compete to the best of your abilities regardless of the environment," Ryu said in his address to the athletes on hand. "We at the KSOC will do our best to make sure you will be able to focus only on the competition at hand and we will respond to any contingencies as swiftly as possible."
Ryu added that the KSOC will use the Asian Games as an opportunity to promote Korean sports and culture to the rest of the continent and to build relationships with other Asian sports bodies and officials. "I hope you will wear the national flag on your chest with pride and show people everything you have," Ryu added. "Every challenge you overcome will strengthen the foundation of Korean sports and will inspire our people."
Lee Sang-hyun, the chief delegate, also called on the athletes to do the nation proud and also highlighted the importance of safety. "My staff and I will take care of every little detail, so that you will not have to worry about anything outside your competition," Lee said. "We will be your biggest allies until the end of this event."