Freestyle swimmer Park to head the charge as team sets sights on second place in Guangzhou

The Republic of Korea (ROK) is unlikely to challenge China as the Asian Games' top medal winning country, but it is set for another big battle against Japan for the runner-up spot.

The Koreans won the title race against their arch-rival in Doha four years ago, claiming 58 gold to Japan's 50, as they finished second for the third Games in a row.

But they lost out in the overall stakes with a total of 193 medals to Japan's 198 at an event overshadowed by the tragic death of Korean equestrian rider Kim Hyung-Chil.

Heading to Guangzhou, ROK has a host of gold medal opportunities, and the extravaganza will also be a chance for some high-profile names to bounce back after poor performances this year.

Heading that list is swimmer Park Tae-hwan, who burst on to the scene in Doha as a 17-year-old with three golds in the 200m, 400m and 1,500m freestyle, earning him the Games' most valuable player award.

He carried that form to the 2007 World Championships, winning the 400m freestyle before becoming the first ROK male swimmer to win gold at an Olympics in Beijing in 2008.

But it all went downhill from there and he failed to reach the finals in 200m, 400m and 1,500m at the 2009 worlds.

Park has been training in Guam and said he was ready to bounce back in Guangzhou.

"I think I will be all wound up ahead of the Asian Games, but I hope to come home smiling," he said.

"I will build on my good performance at the Pan Pacifics and keep up the work I've been putting in all along," he said.

The ROK, meanwhile, will be looking to make amends for losing the baseball title in Doha to Taiwan, a sport it usually dominates.

It has showed its intentions by naming Cleveland Indians outfielder Choo Shin-soo to its roster.

"We have the best possible line-up to win the gold medal," national team manager Cho Beom-hyun told Yonhap news agency.

On the judo mats, Choi Min-ho, who won Olympic gold in the men's 60-kilogram division, will be in action, as will Beijing Olympic silver medalists Kim Jae-bum (81kg) and Wang Ki-chun (73kg).

Female weightlifter Jang Mi-ran is another established name, having won Olympic gold and four world championships in the over-75 kilogram division.

Despite holding the world record for total weight in her class, she has yet to get herself an Asiad title, but is hopeful that will soon change.

"I will be back to put in a good performance at the Asian Games," she said after finishing third at the world championships in Turkey last month.

As one of Asia's top soccer nations, ROK is looking for success in Guangzhou with AS Monaco striker Park Chu-young set to be included as an over-age player, local reports said.

Park played at this year's World Cup, as did midfielder Kim Jung-woo who should also start. But youngster Ki Sung-yueng has been refused permission to play by his Scottish club Celtic.

It has been grouped with neighbor the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Jordan and the Palestine, with the top two teams progressing to the next round.

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