Korea beat Mexico today at the Tokyo Dome, and secured his presence in next year’s Olympic Games and the final game of the Premier12. After this historic win, manager Kim Kyungmoon and left fielder Kim Hyunsoo expressed their feelings during the press conference.
Both, manager and player, will be back in the Olympics after winning the Gold Medal in Beijing 2008.
“Today we clinched the ticket to the Olympic Games next year, so therefore I feel we have less pressure now, after this game,” started the Korean skipper. “Twelve years ago I was the manager of the Olympic team. Then after some intervals I became again the manager of the National Team, and today I want to commend and congratulate my players and coaching staff for their efforts. I’m sure we’re going to play very well in Tokyo 2020.”
Kim Hyunsoo had a calm reaction: “We’ve clinched our ticket to the Olympics, so I’m very happy and pleased about that.”
Asked about the remaining games of the Premier12, Kim Kyungmoon stated: “Tomorrow’s game is the last match of the Super Round, but we have another game against Japan the day after tomorrow. Some of our players are a bit tired, because of the continuous games during the tournament, so I’d like to give them some rest.”
The manager changed the batting order for today’s game, putting Lee Jung-Hoo in the leadoff spot. “There was not a particular idea about the change. In the previous game against Chinese Taipei we didn’t score any run, therefore I wanted to make a change and take a new approach with the lineup. That’s the only reason.”
The last two games Kim Hyunsoo went 0-for-5, but today produced three runs with a bases-clearing double in the fifth. “It’s a team effort, not only me but all my teammates, especially in this kind of representative teams. It’s not about one player, but everyone. Today, Mexico scored first so I thought that I needed to do my best effort, and all my teammates would follow me. And it happened.”
Tomorrow Korea will close the Super Round against Japan.
