Gyeonggi Province Wins National Sports Festival for Tenth Straight Year
(Published October 13, 2011)

Demonstrating the Athletic Power of Gyeonggi Province with First Place Ranking

Closing Ceremony on October 12; Meet Again in Daegu 2012

– Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo celebrating the victory at the closing ceremony of the 92nd National Sports Festival held at Lake Park in Janghang-dong, Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province, on October 12. (GNews Plus)

Gyeonggi Province has won the National Sports Festival for a tenth consecutive year by ranking first in the general standings of the 92nd National Sports Festival. Gyeonggi Province topped the standings by winning 160 gold medals, 155 silver medals and 165 bronze medals, thereby demonstrating its irresistible athletic power. Seoul came in second, recording 52,944 points, followed by South Gyeongsang Province with 44,181 points.

Gyeonggi Province hosted the 92nd National Sports Festival – the first time the province hosted the event in 22 years – under the slogan “To Gyeonggi Hand in Hand and to the World with Dreams” with 23,871 athletes from 16 provinces and cities across the nation and 1,016 members of the Overseas Korean Team competing for a week.

The athletics festival was held in 66 stadiums in 20 cities and counties from October 6 to 12. The event produced a total of 20 new Korean records including two in weightlifting, four in swimming, one in fin swimming, and 13 in roller skating, and a total of 83 new festival records in shooting, cycling, archery, track and field events and others, and 15 ties with festival records.– Gyeonggi Province topped the standings by winning 160 gold medals, 155 silver medals and 165 bronze medals. (GNews Plus)

New Korean records were set beginning on the first day of the festival. Sa Jae-hyouk (26, Gangwon Provincial Government) and Kim Min-jae (28, Gyeongsangbuk-do Development Corporation) set new records in the 77kg and 94kg weightlifting divisions, respectively.

Also Bak Il-ju (27, Jeonbuk Sports Council) and Ham Chan-mi (17, Bukwon Girls’ High School) set new records in the 400-meter freestyle swimming and 200-meter backstroke.

Jang Gyu-cheol (19, Gangwon Provincial Government) and Na Gyeong-su (30, South Gyeongsang Province Sports Council) also set new Korean records in the men¢®?s 200-meter butterfly event and the men’s 100-meter underwater swimming event.

Several new Korean records were established in the men’s time trial 300-meter rollerskating by Gang Gyeong-tae (21, Daegu Sports Council) and in the speed 3,000 meter relay. The events involving members of the Korean national team attracted many spectators as they will represent Korea in the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Jang Mi-ran (28, Goyang City Hall), who ranks first and foremost among the world’s female weightlifters, won three gold medals, achieving a triple crown in the sports festival for the ninth year running. Son Yeon-jae (17, Seoul Sejong High School) who has won a ticket to the London Olympic Games, won a gold medal in the event for two consecutive years.

Of particular note, the Korea Sports Journalists Federation picked as MVP Sa Jae-hyouk, who won the triple crown in weightlifting and established a new Korean record in the 77kg division.– Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo waves the flag of the National Sports Festival before giving it to Park Yong-sung, president of the Korean Olympic Committee (GNews Plus)

Athletes and officials took part in the closing ceremony in Hannul Square of Ilsan Lake Park in Goyang City on the afternoon of October 12 and promised to meet again in Daegu in 2012. “The 2011 National Sports Festival held in Goyang City and Gyeonggi Province was better and more special than in the past,” said Park Yong-sung, chairman of the Korean Olympic Committee, in his message at the closing ceremony.

“I am really grateful to all the athletes for their efforts. I hope that we will meet again in Daegu for the 93rd National Sports Festival. I wish you all good luck.”

The festival and Olympic flags were lowered. President Park received the flag from Governor Kim and delivered it to Kim Bum-il, the mayor of Daegu Metropolitan City.

“All Koreans were excited to see you do your best,” Kim said in his farewell message. “I truly appreciate your flat-out effort. Let’s meet in Daegu 2012.”

After Kim Sang-gon, the education superintendent of Gyeonggi Province, announced the closure of the sports festival, 31 children symbolizing the 31 cities and counties of Gyeonggi Province appeared on stage and blew out the candles on the Cake of Victory, and the torch was extinguished, signaling the end of the 92^nd National Sports Festival. – Governor Kim Moon-soo receives a plaque for his contribution to the 92nd National Sports Festival from Park Yong-sung, president of the Korean Olympic Committee. (GNews Plus)

After the end of the ceremony, popular singers and fireworks displays entertained spectators. Gyeonggi Province worked hard to stage a successful sports festival and promote the participation of local residents, with such events as a torch relay for peace on the Korean Peninsula on the peace path that runs along the DMZ and over the river, and by combining the National Sports Festival with local festivals.

Participating athletes and visitors enjoyed a wide variety of events, exhibitions and performances such as the Goyang Art Festival, the Haengju Cultural Festival, the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival, the Euijeongbu Hoiryong Cultural Festival, and the Anseong World Culture Festival.

In addition, about 3,500 volunteers, the highest figure ever in the history of the sports festival, imparted a good impression of Gyeonggi Province to athletes and visitors alike. The organizing committee conducted various publicity activities, offering news and information through the SNS and the Internet. – This National Sports Festival was held outdoors with the participation of the general public. (GNews Plus)

-GNews Plus | Lim Jeong-seon isim123@hanmail.net