Sports Briefs

OLYMPICS

PyeongChang Olympics debrief kicks off in Beijing

PyeongChang has begun the process of sharing its Winter Olympic knowledge and experience with the next host city, Beijing.

The organizing committee for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympics said Tuesday that an official debriefing on the competition is underway in the Chinese capital. Arranged by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the debriefing will wrap on Friday.

On hand for the debriefing is Thomas Bach, president of the IOC; Lee Hee-beom, head of the PyeongChang 2018 organizing committee; and Cai Qi, president of Beijing’s 2022 Winter Games organizing committee.

The central objective of the debriefing is for PyeongChang to help Beijing improve its organizational capacity by transferring and sharing its expertise, knowledge and experience.

“Thanks to tremendous support from the Korean government and corporate sector, we were able to host a profitable Olympics,” Lee said at the start of the debriefing on Monday, according to PyeongChang’s organizing committee.

“By working closely with the government, the IOC, the IPC, international sports federations and national Olympic committees, we made our Olympic Games a success,” Lee added. “And we’re ready to share our experience with the Beijing 2022 organizing committee.”

GOLF

Women’s Open runner-up takes a leap in world ranking

The U.S. Women’s Open runner-up Kim Hyo-joo jumped 34 spots to reach 33rd in the latest women’s golf rankings announced Tuesday.

Kim made the biggest leap among those in the top 50, after losing to Ariya Jutanugarn on the fourth playoff hole at the oldest major championship in women’s golf over the weekend.

Kim, who was ranked as high as No. 4 in 2015, began the 2018 season in 48th place. She is still looking for her first LPGA win since January 2016.

Kim rallied from a seven-shot deficit with nine holes to play to force a playoff with Jutanugarn, who finished regulation with back-to-back bogeys.

Kim had a birdie on the first hole in the two-hole aggregate playoff but gave back a shot with a bogey on the next hole. The two went to sudden death, and Jutanugarn beat Kim with a par on the second sudden death hole.

Jutanugarn, who now has two major titles, climbed three spots to No. 2, right behind Korea’s Park In-bee. Park has been No. 1 since April 23. Park is one of five Koreans in the top 10.

Yonhap