Baseball team lands in Nagoya with eyes set on 5th straight gold

NAGOYA, Japan — The national baseball team arrived in the main Asian Games host city of Nagoya on Friday, three days before starting its quest for Korea's fifth consecutive gold medal. Manager Ryu Ji-hyun and his players arrived at Chubu Centrair International Airport in Tokoname, some 30 kilometers south of Nagoya, just before 1 p.m. Friday. Made up of stars from the top domestic league, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Korea is widely considered a strong gold medal contender. "Representing the country carries a lot of weight and responsibility," Ryu told reporters at the airport. "Our process has been smooth and I think the outcome will be good, too. I arrived here with a mix of excitement and nerves. After seeing cheerful looks on the faces of my players, I am feeling optimistic." Korea will begin its Group B action against Chinese Taipei at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Baseball Stadium in Okazaki, some 50 kilometers southeast of Nagoya. The next game is against Hong Kong at 6:30 p.m. next Tuesday at Toyohashi Municipal Baseball Stadium in Toyohashi, about 85 km