“We only get a little bit of attention at the Asian Games, which are held every four years, or at the Olympic qualifiers.”
Lee Myung-geun, the head coach of the South Korean sevens rugby team, called on South Koreans to pay more attention to the sport after the team lost 7-14 to Hong Kong in the final of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games on Saturday afternoon.
The team was aiming for its first gold medal in 21 years since the 2002 Busan Asian Games, but could not get over the final hurdle and settled for silver.
The silver medal came 17 years after the 2006 Doha Games.
“Our rugby is an ‘unrecognized sport’ in Korea,” Lee said at the post-match press conference. We don’t get a lot of attention,” he said, adding, “If the Korean public gives us more support, 온라인카지노 we will have better results in competitions like this.”
“I think we can do better in tournaments like this if the Korean public supports us more,” he added.
Lee was a member of the 2002 Asian Games in Busan.
In fact, Hong Kong is largely composed of non-Chinese, naturalized Westerners and is considered a “step above” South Korea in terms of size and strength.
Lee, who was determined to repeat the glory he enjoyed as a player 21 years ago against Hong Kong, took the defeat in stride.
“The Hangzhou Asian Games were postponed by a year, so we had five years to prepare. We came here to win gold, but we lost. We lost to Hong Kong, but the players prepared a lot, and I think it showed on the field,” Lee said.
He credited former national team coach Charlie Lowe, who took over the reins of Korea Rugby in March, for the better-than-expected performance.
Lee worked as a coach under Rowe, who hails from rugby powerhouse South Africa.
“Charlie (Lowe) led this team until March this year. “We had a lot of fun preparing for the Hangzhou Asian Games. We didn’t win a gold medal, but it was more exciting than when I was a player.”
Captain Lee Jin-gyu (Hyundai Globis) said, “We came here to win gold, not silver. I think it’s a disappointing result for everyone,” he said, “but we will analyze what Hong Kong is good at. We will work hard and win gold at the next Asian Games.”
“Jang Yong-heung played with anesthesia even though he was sick, and Park Wan-yong, the most experienced player, came back from retirement to play for the team,” said Han Gun-gyu (KEPCO), a veteran born in 1987.
Park Wan-yong, born in 1984, who wore the Korean flag on the field since 2004, retired from playing and started his career as a coach in November last year, but joined the Asian Games team at the request of Lee.
“I only have three bronze medals, but I wanted to finish with a gold medal, and we prepared with one mind: ‘Let’s win no matter what,'” Han said. “A silver medal is a great achievement, but for our athletes, it’s too bad we didn’t win gold.” 슬롯게이밍