Published : Aug. 25, 2018 - 13:30
With her latest victory, South Korean bowler Ryu Seo-yeon has tied the record for most summer Asian Games gold medals by a South Korean with six.
Ryu moved into a tie with swimmer Park Tae-hwan and fencer Nam Hyun-hee by winning the women's Team of Six gold medal on Friday in Palembang, co-host city of the 18th Asian Games with Jakarta.
Ryu won her first gold medal at Doha 2006 in the women's Trios. Then she swept up four gold medals in 2010, becoming only the third South Korean athlete to win four titles at a single Asiad.
South Korean bowler Ryu Seo-yeon (L) holds up her gold medal from the women`s Team of Six event at the 18th Asian Games in Palembang, Indonesia, on Aug. 24, 2018. (Yonhap)
South Korean bowler Ryu Seo-yeon (L) holds up her gold medal from the women's Team of Six event at the 18th Asian Games in Palembang, Indonesia, on Aug. 24, 2018. (Yonhap) South Korean bowler Ryu Seo-yeon (L) holds up her gold medal from the women's Team of Six event at the 18th Asian Games in Palembang, Indonesia, on Aug. 24, 2018. (Yonhap)
She missed the 2014 Asian Games after undergoing left knee surgery, but made the national team again for this year's Asian Games -- and under a new name, too.
Ryu won her first five gold medals as Hwang Sun-ok. But in 2013, her father, who had been adopted as a child, decided to recover his birth name of Ryu, and asked his three children to also change their names. The bowler formerly known as Hwang Sun-ok became Ryu Seo-yeon.
And Ryu will have a chance to break the tie with Park and Nam in the Masters event starting Sunday.
The swimming competition ended on Friday and Park skipped the Asian Games, citing a loss of form. Nam ended her last Asian Games with only a foil team bronze medal on Thursday.
"It's always great to win as a team," Ryu said. "And this also means a lot to me because I'd gone through a slump after missing the 2014 Asian Games. My family is here to watch me at an international event for the first time. I am happy to win the gold medal in front of everyone."
At Asian Winter Games, speed skater Lee Seung-hoon holds the South Korean record with seven gold medals.(Yonhap)