N. Korea unveils 2008 list of top 10 athletes, includes eight females

SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has released a 2008 list of its top 10
athletes, with two Beijing gold medalists sharing the highest honors. All but two
were female.
North Korea released a similar list at the end of 2007. The 2008 version,
released by the official Korean Central News Agency and monitored Tuesday in
Seoul, included six who scored a medal at the Beijing Olympics in August.
Twenty-year-old gymnast Hong Un-jong took the highest spot, while 24-year-old
weightlifter Pak Hyon-suk came in second, according to the list. Hong claimed the
women's vault at the Summer Games while Pak captured the women's 63-kilogram
event. They were the only ones to win gold for their country that finished 33rd
overall.
Kim Hyang-ok, who won the 50kg tournament at the women's world boxing
championship in November, came in third, while Ahn Gum-ae, the Beijing silver
medalist in the women's 52kg judo event, finished fourth.
Ri Kum-suk, who accounted for half the goals North Korea scored to win a berth in
the women's football tournament at the Olympics, came in fifth.
Gymnast Ri Se-gwang and judoist Pak Chol-min were the only men listed. Ri came in
sixth on the list, while Pak took last place.
North Korea sent its biggest-ever Olympic delegation to the Beijing Games. Set
back by a doping scandal involving one of its male shooters, the country claimed
two golds, one silver and three bronzes.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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