China Retains Top Place at Daegu Universiad

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, September 01, 2003

China Retains Top Place at Daegu Universiad

China retained its No 1 ranking at Daegu and the United States slumped, winning fewer gold medals than on any previous trip to a World University Games comprised of more than one sport.

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China retained its No 1 ranking at Daegu and the United States slumped, winning fewer gold medals than on any previous trip to a World University Games comprised of more than one sport.

But gold medals were mostly overshadowed by politics, with activists using the Universiade to stage anti-Pyongyang protests and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) retaliated with boycott threats.

Games competition ended peacefully yesterday, with the DPRK cheering squad dressed in white han-bok outfits, waving Peninsula flags and rooting for the ROK volleyballers, who edged Japan 17-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-17, 15-12 in the last final.

The Games had opened with athletes from the two Korean sides marching behind a single Peninsula flag and were scheduled to wrap up with a similar march at the close ceremonies.

But there wasn't always accord.

DPRK reporters sparked a brawl outside a Games venue on the first weekend when they tried to confront anti-Pyongyang protesters. The last boycott threat claimed that DPRK athletes were heckled at a training venue and that activists had "infiltrated" and "ransacked" the secluded accommodation of the DPRK all-female cheering squad.

The threatened boycotts were avoided when the South apologized and promised to beef up security to prevent further political rallies.

And in the end, the international federation for university sports bestowed a "fair play" award on Daegu organizers for their efforts for reunification.

"The two Koreas have proven that you can improve understanding if you play sports together," said FISU Secretary General Roch Camapana.

China's diving team - featuring eight world or Olympic champions - swept the 12 gold medals, with Wu Minxia collecting four.

Chinese authorities praised their squad which won 41 gold medals and 81 overall - less than its 103-medal haul when hosting the Games in 2001 - but had some reservations.

"Even though China won many gold medals in gymnastics, swimming, and athletics, we realize that there is still a distance we have to cover to reach world level," said Pan Zhichen, deputy delegation chief. "We will work to remove any weaknesses."

Olympic and world champion swimmer Yana Klochkova won three gold medals last time in Beijing and went one better in Daegu.

Competing a month after her golden double at the world championships in Barcelona, she won four of Ukraine's 23 gold medals here.

Klochkova, the world record holder in the women's 400-metre medley, won that event plus the 200 IM, the 200 freestyle and the 200 butterfly.

Russia's leading medalist was artistic gymnast Irina Chaschina, who won the individual all-around and three apparatus finals and vowed to repeat that success at next month's world championships.

A bus crash resulted in injuries to 16 athletes, including broken limbs for two Thai athletes, and ended Thailand's best hopes of adding a late medal when it had to forfeit two relays on the last day of track and field competition.

Russia and ROK each ended with 26 gold medals, although the Russians held second place, with 82 medals overall to 52 for the host nation.

Earlier yesterday, Serbia and Montenegro defended its men's basketball title with a 85-76 win over Russia. Canada edged China 82-80 for bronze.

Vidal Massiah had 19 points and Toronto's Missouri forward Jeff Ferguson had 18 for the Canadians.

In total the US had 36 medals, including five gold, from nine sports.

Financial restrictions and a packed schedule, including the world athletics championships and Olympic basketball qualifying series running at the same time, meant the United States didn't send its track and field competitors or men's basketball lineup to Daegu.

And it showed in the medal table for the Americans, who won five consecutive University Games until placing second to China in Beijing two years ago.

DPRK ended with three gold medals, including Hong Ok-song's win in judo and the women's soccer team, which didn't allow a goal in the tournament.

The two Korean Olympic officials reaffirmed their commitment to push for a unified team at the 2004 Athens Olympics, an idea endorsed by IOC president Jacques Rogge during a trip to Daegu.

For the Korean participants at least, the games' theme, "Dream of Unity," did have some impact on proceedings.

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