02.11.2011, 04:41
Korean men qualify for Olympic Games

The eighth team to book the ticket to London 2012.

Korean men qualify for Olympic Games

Like women, like men: Both Korean handball teams will participate at the Olympics Games 2012 in London.

After the women had beaten Japan in the Asian Olympic Qualification two weeks ago in Changzhou, China, now the men followed thanks to a final victory – again versus Japan.

The final result in the SK Arena in Seoul was 26:21 for the Koreans after the first half had been close (11:10).

As Korea qualified for the Olympics, Japan still has the chance to be among the 12 men’s teams in London, as they are qualified for one of the Olympics Qualification Tournament played 4-6 April 2012.

Korea is the fourth men’s team to book the ticket for London after host Great Britain, World Champion France, and Argentina (winner of the Pan American Olympics Qualification in Guadalajara, Mexico).

Japan is qualified for the qualification tournaments like Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Croatia, Iceland and Hungary.

The same number of women’s teams is already qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games: Great Britain (host), Norway (European Champion), Korea (Asian qualification winner) and Brazil (Pan American qualification winner).

The last direct tickets and the missing participants for the Qualification Tournaments for the Olympics will be decided at the Women’s World Championship in Brazil (December 2011), the African Championship for men and women in Morocco and the men’s European championship in Serbia (both January 2012).

Later-on the Olympics Qualification Tournaments in April (men) and May (women) will decide over the last each six allocated places for men and women.

The Korean men have qualified for Olympics Games for the seventh time since 1984, their biggest success was the Silver medal on home ground in Seoul in 1988.

The top star of the Korean team, Kyung Shin Yoon (37), will play his fourth straight Olympic Games after 2000, 2004 and 2008.

Aside Saudi Arabia took the third place at the Asian Olympics Qualification. On Wednesday they won their placement match against Iran 21:20 (11:10) - nearly with the same result (22:21) as in the match of the Preliminary Round.

Asian Olympic Qualification, Final Ranking

1. Korea
2. Japan
3. Iran
4. Saudi Arabia
5. Qatar
6. China
7. Kuwait
8. Oman
9: Uzbekistan
10. Kazakhstan

TEXT: Björn Pazen