When Korea earned a unique distinction

INCHEON: History is witness to the fact that whenever South Korea have hosted the Asian Games, they have been runaway winners in boxing.

During the 1986 Asian Games at Seoul, they did not give away even a single gold in any of the 12 weight categories in the men’s section, completing their campaign with 12 gold, 0 silver, 0 bronze.

That perfor mance remains unmatched in the history of these continental Games till date and India would do well to remember that they had finished a distant second with four silver and five bronze medals.

Those who did India proud then were Sahu Birajdar (51kg), Seera Jayaram (63.5kg), Daljit Singh (91kg), Jaipal Singh (+91kg), all of whom won silver, while GD Kamble (54kg), John Williams (57kg), Gopal Dewang (67kg), Manjit Pal Singh (75kg) and Dhan Bahadur Gurung (81kg) had to settle for bronze.

During the 2002 Asian Games at Busan, Korea dropped to second spot, with three gold, two silver and five bronze.

The coming couple of days will tell where the home team will finish here, after having decimated the opposition, albeit with some significant help from the judges.

IT’S SAD TO SEE SUCH THINGS HAPPENING IN INTERNATIONAL BOXING. SHE LOST BECAUSE HER OPPONENT WAS A KOREAN... I UNDERSTAND HOW SHE WOULD BE FEELING.

MARY KOM, on Sarita Devi’s loss in the 60kg semifinals