Korea's national shooting team lands in Nagoya carrying high medal hopes

NAGOYA — The national shooting team competing at the Asian Games arrived in the main host city of Nagoya on Tuesday, carrying high hopes for a handful of gold medals. Led by head coach Chang Kap-seok, 30 Korean shooters landed in the central Japanese city five days before the start of their competition. The opening ceremony for the Asian Games is Saturday, and the first shooting medals will be awarded Sunday in the women's 10-meter air rifle individual and team events. Ban Hyo-jin, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist and the 2025 world champion in the 10m individual event, is considered a strong gold medal contender this time. Ban's gold at the 2024 Olympics in Paris was one of six medals by Korea, the most shooting medals the country has won at an Olympics. And with Ban and other Olympic medalists competing at the Asian Games here, Chang said he felt confident his squad could meet its target of five gold medals, nine silver medals and five bronze medals. "Of course, there is some pressure on us after the Olympics," Chang told reporters at Chubu Centrair International Airport. "And many of o