Gold Paddling for Two Straight Days... Cho Gwang-hee and Kim Hyo-bin Claim First Double Gold Medals

[Anchor]

National canoe team athletes Cho Gwang-hee and Kim Hyo-bin have combined for gold medals for two consecutive days, securing the honor of becoming the first double gold medalists for our delegation.

Reporter Hong Seok-jun reports from Nagoya.

[Reporter]

Cho Gwang-hee and Kim Hyo-bin, who became the first South Koreans to win a gold medal in the men's kayak four 500m event, showcased flawless teamwork once again in the men's kayak double 500m final.

Starting powerfully from lane 3, they passed the first 250m mark in second place as they rounded the turn.

With an even fiercer spurt in the latter half, they surged to the lead, fending off Japan's challenge by a margin of 0.317 seconds to cross the finish line first before raising their arms in triumph.

The two shared a warm embrace to savor their joy, and with their victory marking the first time in 36 years that South Korea has stood atop the podium in this event, they grew teary-eyed.

[Cho Gwang-hee / National Men's Canoe Sprint Team: The results of this year's grueling training brought back heavy emotions, and hearing the national anthem made the tears flow.]

[Kim Hyo-bin / National Men's Canoe Sprint Team: I think this medal is like a golden full moon that fits Chuseok perfectly.]

Cutting through the golden waters for two days straight, Cho Gwang-hee and Kim Hyo-bin rose to become the first double gold medalists of our delegation at this tournament.

In gymnastics, Hwang Seo-hyun, the youngest member of the national gymnastics team born in 2009 and registered as the shortest athlete in our delegation at 134 cm tall, soared the highest.

Advancing to the final after placing fifth in the women's balance beam preliminaries, she delivered a flawless routine, defeating all the favored competitors from China and Japan to capture a surprise gold medal.

Overjoyed, Hwang attempted to run onto the floor before being stopped by the coaches, and instead smiled brightly while holding the Taegeukgi from outside the floor. Standing atop the podium, she reveled in the joy of conquering the event for the first time in 40 years as a South Korean athlete.

[Hwang Seo-hyun / National Artistic Gymnastics Team: After the match, it didn't feel real and I felt like crying. How should I put it, I couldn't believe it, and it felt a lot like a dream. Thank you for watching me during this golden holiday.]

Meanwhile, the men's 3x3 basketball team—comprising Lee Ju-young, Kim Seung-woo, Lee Dong-geun, and Goo Min-gyu—also reached the summit by decisively defeating Qatar in the final.

Following the men's 5x5 team's victory earlier for their first title in 12 years, the 3x3 team captured their first-ever gold medal, opening wide a golden age for the sport.

(Video Reported by Yang Doo-won, Video Edited by Kim Jun-hee)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.