Most memorable moments of Incheon Asian Games

The South Korean women’s handball team wanted to show just how much they appreciated their head coach after winning the gold medal, but it almost went terribly wrong. Fortunately, their head coach, Lim Young-chul, was not only quick on his feet, but even off his feet to avoid disaster. (Yonhap)

A North Korean football player talks to female staffers during an award ceremony at the Munhak Stadium in Incheon Thursday. North Korea won the silver medal after losing to South Korea 1-0 in the final game. (Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul)

Son Yeon-jae’s biggest achievement coming into the Incheon Asian Games was basically “being pretty and beautiful” some quipped. But now she is the first-ever South Korean Asiad gold medalist in the individual all-around event. Son, center, makes a heart-shape with her arms during the award ceremony. China’s Deng Senyue, left, won the silver, while Anastasiya Serdyukova of Uzbekistan settled for bronze. (Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul)

North Korea’s National Defense Commission Vice Chairman Hwang Pyong So, third left, and North Korea’s ruling Workers Party secretaries, Choe Ryong Hae, third right, and Kim Yang Gon, second right, are waving with South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, left, South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s National Security Adviser Kim Kwan-jin, second left, and South Korean Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae during the closing ceremony for the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014. Hwang, North Korea’s presumptive No. 2, and other members of Pyongyang’s inner circle met with South Korean officials Saturday in the rivals’ highest level face-to-face talks in five years, a possible indication that both sides are interested in pursuing better ties after months of animosity. (AP Photo/Yonhap, Han Jong-chan)

The players from the two Koreas mingled for souvenir photos after the medal ceremony. The South-North Korean Joint Cheering Team, made up of South Korean civic activists, and other fans helped turn the final into essentially a home game for North Korea, their loud chants and banging of thundersticks easily drowned out whatever sounds the Japanese supporters were trying to make. Kim Kwang-min, the North Korean head coach, showed his appreciation for South Koreans’ cheering. “The South Korean fans gave us such hearty cheers,” the coach said. “From their cheering, I felt that we are all one people, and I could sense the South Koreans’ yearning for unification.” (Yonhap)

South Korean pole vaulter Choi Ye-eun did not win a medal, but her popularity soared. She just maybe South Korea’s next Son Yeon-jae. (Yonhap)

After the medal ceremony, Sun Yang, left, gave Park tae-hwan a birthday cake. (Yonhap)

Japanese swimming sensation Kosuke Hagino was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 17th Incheon Asian Games on Saturday.
Among the shortlist of eight athletes, Hagino took the prize after having delivered four gold medals in the pool, in addition to one silver and two bronze.

South Korean boxer Park Ji-na keeps her eyes open even as she is hit by Sarita Devi of India during their semifinals match in the women’s under-60kg event at the Seonhak Gymnasium in Incheon. Perhaps this is what the judges were so impressed about as they created an uproar by declaring Park as the winner. (Yonhap)

Iran’s Sepideh Tavakoly Nik makes an attempt in the high jump of the women’s heptathlon at the Asiad Main Stadium in Incheon, Sunday. Asia’s Olympic chief on Saturday urged all sports to let women wear the Islamic hijab headscarf, after an Asian Games row which saw Qatar’s basketball team quit in fury. Qatar’s women forfeited their matches and left after being told the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) would not allow hijabs. (AP)

In one of the most strangest developments, Japan expelled one of its swimmers, Naoya Tomita, from the Asian Games while he is investigated for allegedly stealing a camera. (AP)