Asian Games Opens as Chinese Fencers Sweep First Golds

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, September 30, 2002

Asian Games Opens as Chinese Fencers Sweep First Golds

Chinese fencers swept the first two gold medals of the Asian Games as the continent's biggest sportingfestival opened with fireworks and traditional dancing.

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China Wins First Gold Medal of 14th AG

Chinese fencers swept the first two gold medals of the Asian Games as the continent's biggest sporting festival opened with fireworks and traditional dancing.

Chinese Wang Haibin snatched the title of the men's individual foil, which was previously tailored for South Korea and took place at the same time with the opening ceremony. Wang's teammate Zhao Gang took the epee crown in an all-Chinese final.

Trailing Kim Sang-hun 8-11 with two minutes to go, Wang was awarded a penalty point and scored six kills to win over the South Korean 15-11.

Chinese Wu Hanxiong grabbed the bronze with a 15-10 victory over the host favorite and Olympic champion Kim Young-ho, a semifinal loser to Wang.

Zhao Gang Takes the Epee Crown

Zhao Gang nipped countryman Wang Lei 14-12 for the epee title and Kazakhstan's Sergei Shabalin won the bronze disposing off South Korea's Ku Kyo-dong 15-14.

The Asian Games raised its curtain as an inter-Korea torch was unified with flames from across Asia, symbolizing the shared will for the Peninsular reunification and ushering in a new era of Asian unity.

South Korean and DPR Korean athletes marched hand in hand into the Busan Asiad Main Stadium under the name of "Korea" and one unification banner, a blue image of the Korean Peninsular on a white background.

They basked in a warm standing ovation, with South Korean men's handball player Hwangbo Sung-il and DPR Korean women's footballer Ri Jong-hui jointly bearing the flag. In a deafening roar of applause, they paraded together to put aside half a century of division.

This marks the first time that DPR Korea participates in any international sports event held in South Korea since the Korean Peninsula was divided in 1945.

South Korean President Kim Dae-jung declared open the games, saying "while wishing for the enhancement of harmony and peace in Asia, I declare the 14th Asian Games being held at the beautiful maritime city of Busan open."

Delivering a welcoming speech, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah said: "We see our unity stronger than ever, crowned by the active and positive participation of athletes and officials from DPR Korea."

"The Asian Games has and will always be a platform of peace, harmony and a source of unity, reconciliation and development of Asian cultures," he said.

Ha Hyong-chu from South Korea and Kae Sun-hee from DPR Korea, both Olympic judo champions, jointly lit the cauldron with a torchof "Flame of Reunification."

Led by towering center Ri Myong-hun, DPR Korea triumphed 85-64 over the United Arab Emirates in their opening men's basketball game.

Ri, a former NBA candidate who stands 2.35 meters tall, said through a translator that he would play in the unified Korean uniform.

The 34-year-old center, who scored 13 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in 37 minutes, added DPR Korea took part in the Busan Games because "we wanted the reunification very much".

Hong Kong of China upset Kuwait 77-57 in a Group A match to cruise into top eight.

Japan downed Mongolia 125-75 in Group B and Chinese Taipei beat Qatar 71-61 in Group D, both making it to the quarter-finals.

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