(2nd LD) (Asiad) S. Korea beats China to win gold in women's hockey

(ATTN: ADDS remarks by coaches, player in last 5 paras, photo)
By Oh Seok-min

INCHEON, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- In a measure of redemption after four years, South Korea beat China 1-0 to clinch the gold medal in women's hockey at the Asian Games on Wednesday.

Kim Da-rae scored the winner with 4:20 left in the third quarter, and South Korea held on to beat the defending Asiad champion China in the final match at Seonhak Hockey Stadium in the country's western port city of Incheon, securing the country's first title at the continental competition in 16 years.

At the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, China had beat South Korea in a penalty shoot-out for its second consecutive Asiad victory.

Hours earlier on Wednesday, India edged Japan 2-1 to grab the bronze medal.

Breaking the deadlock after the neck-and-neck first two quarters, Kim first put her name on the scoreboard in the third quarter.

Despite missing three penalty corner shots in the following quarter, South Korea pushed further to keep China in check, cementing its one-goal lead.

In accordance with the new rules applied at this Asiad first, the competition is comprised of four quarters with each session lasting 15 minutes.

Wednesday's victory gave South Korea a chance to restore its pride as the hockey powerhouse. Before China's straight victories, South Korea had been on top of the podium from the 1986 games through the 1998 Bangkok Asiad.

"I am so happy. I don't know what to say more than this. The victory just left me speechless," Kim said with excitement. "Our hardcore training putting focus on building up the physical strength works, I think."

Expressing gratitude to all of her team members who "have pushed themselves to the limit eyeing a single goal to bring back gold," she vowed to strive further to dominate the Olympic stage in 2016.

"Seeking to defeat China, we've scouted Kim Sang-ryol as a technical adviser who had been in charge of instructing the Chinese team until last year. He helped us to make customized strategies against China," coach Han Jin-soo said in a press conference.

Congratulating South Korea on the achievement, You Baodong, the coach of the Chinese team, said he and his athletes will "start anew" to make it to the Olympics.

"Nine out of our 16 players have never played at international stages before. My mission now is to find more chances for the young inexperienced players to compete out there so as to help them improve themselves," he added.

graceoh@yna.co.kr
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