Photo/Illutration Japan's Yota Ichikawa returns a ball during men's sepaktakraw preliminary Group B match against Philippines at Jinhua Sports Centre at the 19th Asian Games in Jinhua, China, Oct. 1, 2023. (AP Photo)

HANGZHOU, China--South Korea won the women’s team singles in badminton on Sunday at the Asian Games, defeating China 3-0. An Seyoung and Kim Gaeun won their singles matches and Lee Sohee and Baek Hana teamed up in doubles to beat the sport’s No. 1-ranked female pair, Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan of China.

Lee said the team surprised itself.

“Playing in China against the Chinese pair who are also the world No. 1, I didn’t expect to win,” Lee said. “I thought it would be a very tough match. This game was a battle of physical fitness. I didn’t want to lose out in the physical energy part.”

South Korea coach Kim Hak-kyun emphasized the team is much more than simply a top player like An.

“We were able to win the precious gold. This is thanks to the determination, mindset, mentality and unity of our players,” Kim said.

“The biggest meaning is that we can show everyone — our athletes as a whole team — and not just An Seyoung.”

SOCCER

South Korea and Japan advanced to the semifinals of men’s soccer on Sunday. South Korea defeated China 2-0 on an 18th-minute goal by Hong Hyun-seok and another in the 35th from Song Min-kyu.

Japan won over North Korea 2-1. Kotaro Uchino scored in the 50th for Japan and Yuta Matsumura got the winner in the 80th. Kim Kuk-jin scored in the 74th for North Korea. In two other quarterfinals, Hong Kong defeated Iran 1-0, and Uzbekistan beat Saudi Arabia 2-1.

GOLF

LPGA player Arpichaya Yubol of Thailand took the gold medal in women’s golf. She shot a 19-under 269 with rounds of 67, 65, 69 and 68.

Aditi Ashot of India picked up silver, two shots back. South Korea’s Yoo Hyunjo was the bronze medalist, another shot behind. Thailand also took the team gold with silver for South Korea and bronze for China.

Eila Galitsky was the only amateur on Thailand’s team.

“It’s an awesome experience to get to play with professional players,” Galitsky said. “Being the only amateur to help them win. I’m pretty proud of that. I couldn’t ask for a better team. I’m just really happy that I could be dancing every day.”

Kho Taichi of Hong Kong took gold on the men’s side, finishing with a 27-under 261. Silver went to Im Sungjae of South Korea and bronze to Hung Chien-Yao of Taiwan.

South Korea won the men’s team. Thailand took silver and Hong Kong won bronze.

HALFWAY

The Asian Games are at the halfway point of their two-week run. China continues to thoroughly dominate and reached 120 golds on Sunday. The rest of the field had won a total of 137 gold medals.

China won 132 gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games and is sure to smash that record with the homefield advantage this time around.

“The closer the games approach the end, the higher expectations it deserves, and the more efforts are needed from us,” said Zhu Qinan, the spokesperson for the Asian Games sports operations.

China has won about four times more gold medals than its nearest competitors from Japan and South Korea, and about twice as many overall medals as each of those two teams.

BMX RACING

Indonesia’s Amellya Nur Sifa won the women’s gold with silver for Gu Quanquan of China and bronze for Indonesia’s Jasmine Azzahra Setyobudi. Japan took the men’s final with the gold going to Asuma Nakai. Thailand’s Komet Sukprasert was the silver medalist with bronze for Patrick Bren Coo of the Philippines.

It’s the only medal of the games in the sport.

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