WBC 'Airplane Ceremony' → What will the AG be? Noh Si-hwan: "I'm still thinking about it a lot; you'll see it during the games..."

*This content was translated by AI.

Noh Si-hwan (26, Hanwha Eagles), the new captain of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games baseball national team, announced a new signature ceremony alongside his strong determination to win the gold medal.

Meeting with reporters at Incheon International Airport just before departing for Nagoya, Japan—the decisive venue—on the 18th, Noh Si-hwan smiled when asked about the team's new ceremony. "Actually, we were having dinner together yesterday (the 17th) and I was thinking a lot about it. Honestly, nothing has been decided yet," he said, adding, "You'll see it once we cross over to Japan during the games," thereby raising expectations.

Interest is growing as to whether a new signature ceremony for the national team, following the highly talked-about 'Airplane Ceremony' from the World Baseball Classic (WBC) held last March, will make its debut in the first group stage match against Taiwan on the 21st.

This year's Asian Games baseball national team is primarily composed of young players under 25 years old. Only three players exceed the age limit: starting ace Kwak Bin (27), Moon Bo-kyung (26), and Noh Si-hwan. Given that the team is centered around younger athletes, the role of ceremonies in boosting morale both on and off the field is crucial.

Noh Si-hwan also stated, "Since the players' age group is quite young, I believe we will gain a lot of momentum from this." He added, "If we start with the first match against Taiwan, I am confident we will become an even more formidable team by building on that momentum. I will convey this message to the players so they can fully ride the wave. The first group stage match is likely the most important," emphasizing its significance.

Due to the short-term nature of the tournament, the outcome of the first match will determine the overall flow of the competition. Therefore, Noh Si-hwan is also putting all his efforts into the match against Taiwan. To achieve the goal of back-to-back championships, securing a decisive early advantage in the opening matchup against Taiwan is essential.

Noh Si-hwan remarked, "Both Taiwan and Japan are strong teams, and we will not be complacent against any opponent." He continued, "In international tournaments, we often face each other, so pitchers' pitch trajectories and key weapons are somewhat familiar. I am actively sharing my know-how with the younger players who haven't experienced this yet," expressing his confidence.

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*This content was translated by AI.