Any kind of sporting match involves, inevitably, two sides of the same coin, bringing together both wins and losses, jubilation and frustration. Winners taste the joy of victory, whereas losers suffer the bitterness of defeat. That’s the way any sporting event goes.
However, the 2014 Asian Games, currently under way in Incheon and running until October 4, are telling a different story.
Like other sporting events, these games have created a series of losers, but this time they are not frustrated but “happy” losers. Many of the athletes who did not win a medal spoke with a common voice after their defeats, saying, “We feel no regret at all, as we did our best.”
The games have also seen first-time medalists from Iran, Vietnam and Laos in sports including shooting, fencing and sepaktakraw.
Sepaktakraw, one of the most popular sports in Southeast Asia, originated in Thailand and Malaysia. To everyone’s surprise, Laos won the silver medal in the women’s doubles competition against Myanmar on September 22. Of course, the sport is popular in Laos, too, but Laos has never won any kind of medal in an international sepaktakraw event until now.
In fencing, two days before that, on September 20, Vietnam claimed the bronze medal in the men’s individual épée competition. “I am so happy to win the first-ever fencing medal for Vietnam,” said bronze medalist Nguyen Tien Nhat during a press conference after the match. His comments were interpreted into English by a Singaporean fencer.
Upon hearing his remarks, Korean fencer Chung Jin-seon said, “He speaks Korean really well, too.” Then, the Vietnamese fencer responded in Korean, “I am so hungry now.”
In shooting, Iran fared well in some of the individual and group competitions. Najmeh Khedmati and Andevari Narjes Emamgholinejad won a gold and silver medal, respectively, in the women’s 10 meter air rifle individual event. Najmeh Khedmati took home gold just four years after she started shooting. Another silver went to Iran in the women’s 10 meter air rifle group event, as well.
There were also many non-medalists who left the stadium with broad smiles as they were showered with cheers and a big round of applause from the spectators. On September 22, at the Munhak Park Tae Hwan Aquatics Center, a 14-year-old competitor from the Maldives, Mubal Azzam Ibrahim, finished last in the men’s 400-meter freestyle race with a time of 05:29:40, as much as two minutes behind China’s Sun Yang who won the competition.
Despite being so far behind the lead, the young swimmer never gave up, demonstrating true sportsmanship. The appearance of his time on the billboard was followed by loud cheers and applause from the audience.
The next day, another scene unfolded at the Songnim Gymnasium, where the Maldivian women competed in the volleyball tournament while attired in their official uniforms, which included a hijab. It was the women’s volleyball match B between the Maldives and Kazakhstan. The Maldives suffered a crushing defeat 0-3.
However, the team always had a smile on their faces, with one athlete saying, “The mere fact that we are part of this giant sporting event is such an honor for us.” Even though they continued to be beaten in the preliminary match against Korea, and then in the women’s handball competition against Japan, the athletes from the Maldives conceded the defeats, waving to the audience which was cheering for them. Such a humble spirit was enough to move all the spectators.
The audience has spared no applause and has encouraged those who did their best, regardless of the results. These kinds of touching moments will continue during the rest of the games, set to wrap up on October 4.
By Lee Jeong-rok, Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writers
jeongrok@korea.kr
However, the 2014 Asian Games, currently under way in Incheon and running until October 4, are telling a different story.
Like other sporting events, these games have created a series of losers, but this time they are not frustrated but “happy” losers. Many of the athletes who did not win a medal spoke with a common voice after their defeats, saying, “We feel no regret at all, as we did our best.”
The games have also seen first-time medalists from Iran, Vietnam and Laos in sports including shooting, fencing and sepaktakraw.
Sepaktakraw, one of the most popular sports in Southeast Asia, originated in Thailand and Malaysia. To everyone’s surprise, Laos won the silver medal in the women’s doubles competition against Myanmar on September 22. Of course, the sport is popular in Laos, too, but Laos has never won any kind of medal in an international sepaktakraw event until now.
The sepaktakraw final in the women’s doubles competition between Myanmar (left) and Laos takes place at the Bucheon Gymnasium on September 22.
In fencing, two days before that, on September 20, Vietnam claimed the bronze medal in the men’s individual épée competition. “I am so happy to win the first-ever fencing medal for Vietnam,” said bronze medalist Nguyen Tien Nhat during a press conference after the match. His comments were interpreted into English by a Singaporean fencer.
Upon hearing his remarks, Korean fencer Chung Jin-seon said, “He speaks Korean really well, too.” Then, the Vietnamese fencer responded in Korean, “I am so hungry now.”
In shooting, Iran fared well in some of the individual and group competitions. Najmeh Khedmati and Andevari Narjes Emamgholinejad won a gold and silver medal, respectively, in the women’s 10 meter air rifle individual event. Najmeh Khedmati took home gold just four years after she started shooting. Another silver went to Iran in the women’s 10 meter air rifle group event, as well.
Iran’s Najmeh Khedmati competes in the women’s 10 meter air rifle individual finals on September 22 during the Incheon Asian Games 2014.
Despite being so far behind the lead, the young swimmer never gave up, demonstrating true sportsmanship. The appearance of his time on the billboard was followed by loud cheers and applause from the audience.
The next day, another scene unfolded at the Songnim Gymnasium, where the Maldivian women competed in the volleyball tournament while attired in their official uniforms, which included a hijab. It was the women’s volleyball match B between the Maldives and Kazakhstan. The Maldives suffered a crushing defeat 0-3.
However, the team always had a smile on their faces, with one athlete saying, “The mere fact that we are part of this giant sporting event is such an honor for us.” Even though they continued to be beaten in the preliminary match against Korea, and then in the women’s handball competition against Japan, the athletes from the Maldives conceded the defeats, waving to the audience which was cheering for them. Such a humble spirit was enough to move all the spectators.
The Maldives’ Mubal Azzam Ibrahim competes in the heats for the men’s 400 meter freestyle event on September 22. He finishes last, two minutes behind China’s winner, Sun Yang.
The Maldives’ women's football team waves to spectators after a match.
The audience has spared no applause and has encouraged those who did their best, regardless of the results. These kinds of touching moments will continue during the rest of the games, set to wrap up on October 4.
By Lee Jeong-rok, Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writers
jeongrok@korea.kr