'KIA Kim Do-young Injury' Behind the Scenes of Korean National Team Coach's Emergency Move from 'Daejeon to Gwangju' [Gocheok Scene]

*This content was translated by AI.

The Korean baseball national team, aiming for its fifth consecutive gold medal at the Asian Games, has finally taken its first step. Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha Eagles) was selected as captain. Additionally, the national team head coach shared behind-the-scenes details about when KIA Tigers' Kim Do-young was injured.

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games baseball national team led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun conducted official training at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 15th. The previous day (the 14th), the So Jip-doen (CEO) team spent about two hours at Gocheok Dome conducting defensive and batting drills to check their condition.

After training, head coach Ryu met with reporters and said, "We held a meeting with the players after they were called up yesterday. 'The next two weeks belong entirely to the national team. If all 24 players unite around one goal, we will surely achieve good results.' I emphasized this point. Coincidentally, the final match is scheduled during the Chuseok holiday period. Many citizens will be watching, and we will deliver results worthy of their expectations.'"

The biggest boost for the Lee Beon (CEO) team was forming a complete roster without any last-minute replacements. Despite a series of injuries during the regular season following the final roster announcement in June, all 24 originally planned core players joined without a single substitution.

Regarding this, head coach Ryu stated, "I have consistently participated in the Asian Games as part of the coaching staff since the 2014 Incheon tournament. Rosters often changed due to variables like injuries just before tournaments. However, this time, not a single player was replaced, and the best players we initially envisioned are all participating. The fact that these players have gathered intact is highly encouraging and significant," expressing his satisfaction.

The physical condition of injured players, which had raised fan concerns, has now returned to normal. Kim Do-young (KIA Tigers), who recently underwent surgery for a fractured nasal bone; Lee Jae-hyun (Samsung Lions), who suffered an elbow contusion; and Moon Bo-kyung (LG Twins), who experienced back pain, all completed today's training without issues.

Head coach Ryu said, "We closely monitored the condition of these three players throughout the season. After watching them train directly today, we concluded there were no problems at all, not only in batting but also in defense," and smiled.

In particular, he gave special praise to Kim Do-young, who returned to the league just four days after nasal bone surgery and completed the historic feat of "40 home runs, 100 RBIs, and 100 runs scored" at the youngest age in history.

Head coach Ryu remarked, "When Do-young was injured, I was in Daejeon. This is a fact I am only revealing now, but immediately after the sixth inning ended, I moved to Gwangju to assess the situation. His recovery speed was surprisingly faster than expected." He continued, "I watched his comeback game last Sunday (the 13th). Even though there could have been situations where he might protect himself due to injury or adopt a defensive stance, he swung freely without hesitation. I thought again that 'a star is indeed a star,'" applauding him.

The heavy responsibility of leading the team as 'captain' falls on Hanwha's franchise star Noh Si-hwan. Head coach Ryu explained his selection reason: "Noh Si-hwan has an exceptionally bright and cheerful personality. With his unique approachability and positive energy, I judged him to be the right person to lead the younger players." He added, "In fact, Kim Do-young was briefly considered as a captain candidate, but given that all attention in this tournament will focus on Do-young, making him captain would place too much burden on him. Noh Si-hwan, with his broad heart and reliability, will surely unite the team well," expressing his trust.

The Ryu Ji-hyun-led team will continue training at Gocheok Dome on the 16th, then conduct a final check of their game readiness through an exhibition match against the Army Baseball Team on the 17th. They will depart for Nagoya, Japan—the decisive venue—on the 18th to begin local adaptation. On the 21st, they will face Taiwan in the first group stage match of fate. The biggest rival Korea must overcome to achieve a five-peat is Taiwan, their opponent in Group B's opening game, and host nation Japan. Korea has been drawn into a group with Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.