Wheelchair curling and sledge hockey lead medal hopes as South Korea names Sochi 2014 squad

  
By Gary Anderson

February 15 - South Korea has revealed its Paralympic team for Sochi 2014 and all eyes will be on the wheelchair curling and ice sledge hockey squads as the best hopes of securing a podium place next month.

South Korea's wheelchair curlers secured the country's only medal at Vancouver 2010, claiming a silver medal after losing out to hosts Canada in the final.

Two of that team return to action in Sochi in the form of Kang Mi-suk and Kim Myung-jin, who will be joined by Kim Jong-pan, Seo Soon-seok and Yun Hee-keong.

Kang was also part of the South Korean teams that took World Championship silver medals in Switzerland in 2008 and on home soil in Chuncheon City in 2012.

If Kang is the mainstay of the wheelchair curling squad, then Jung Seung-hwan is the main man on the ice sledge hockey team.

Jung was the star of the show at the Sochi 2014 Qualification Tournament in Turin last October were he fired the South Koreans to victory with eight goals and four assists during the tournament.

Jung also impressed at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships in 2012, leading his side to a runners-up spot behind the United States.

Wheelchair curling provided South Korea with its only medal at Vancouver 2010 ©Bongarts/Getty Images


The rest of the squad is made up of a mixture of youth and experience and includes Kim Dea-jung, Cho Byeong-seok, Lee Jong-kyung, Jang Jong-ho, Han Min-su, Chung Young-hoon, Park Sang-hyeon, Lee Young-min, Sa Sung-keun, Cho Young-jae, Park Woo-chul and Jang Dong-shin, who were all part of the Vancouver 2010 squad.

Meanwhile, Park Jeong-seork, Lee Chi-won and Yang Jae-rim will compete in Alpine skiing events while Seo Vo-Ra-mi and Choi Bo-gue will take part in Nordic skiing.

After finishing 18th last time out, South Korea will be hoping to increase their medal haul in Sochi as they prepare to host the next Winter Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang in 2018.

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