"Kim Do-young will do it." The shaken Korean bench calmed down with just one word from captain Noh Si-hwan... and Kim Do-young truly became the solution [At Incheon Airport]

*This content was translated by AI.

"Kim Do-young will do it."

Korean national baseball team captain Noh Si-hwan (26, Hanwha Eagles) spoke a single word at a moment when everyone could not help but feel shaken. And Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers) truly became the savior.

Noh Si-hwan reflected on the previous day's final against Japan after returning home through Incheon International Airport on the 28th, in response to a reporter's question: "Did you say anything as captain when there was a crisis before or during the tournament?"

On the 27th, Korea defeated Japan 3-1 in the final held at Toyota City Citizen Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. This marks five consecutive gold medals since the 2010 Guangzhou Games and Korea's seventh overall title in Asian Games history.

The match remained tense until the very end. Leading 1-0, Korea allowed Japan to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. In the top of the eighth, Korea created a golden opportunity. After Kim Ji-chan hit a double and advanced, Cho Hyung-woo's sacrifice bunt and Kim Ju-won's walk resulted in one out with runners on first and third base.

However, when Jung Jun-jae grounded to the third baseman, runner Kim Ji-chan was caught in a rundown at third base. There were scenes during the base-running that could be considered interference by Japanese fielders, and the Korean bench protested strongly, but the call was not overturned. In this high-stakes Korea-Japan match with a gold medal on the line, it seemed like even the hard-fought opportunity was slipping away.

Noh Si-hwan said, "When Kim Ji-chan got caught in a rundown at third base, the atmosphere became a bit chaotic. The bench was also somewhat unsettled." He continued, "I told the players, 'Let's relax first. Let's calm down.' When Kim Do-young stepped up to bat, I said, 'Do-young will do it,' which helped calm everyone down."

The words became reality. With two outs and runners on first and third, Kim Do-young hit a sharp line drive to the third baseman for an RBI double off Kondo Kazuki, giving Korea a 2-1 lead in the final. Moon Bo-kyung (26, LG Twins) then also hit an RBI single, and the score quickly changed to 3-1.

Noh Si-hwan smiled, saying, "As expected, Kim Do-young delivered right away. I felt a surge of excitement and thrill at that moment."

Winning the gold medal while wearing the captain's armband made it even more meaningful. Noh Si-hwan had also won a gold medal at the previous Hangzhou Games, but this time he took on the role of leading the team. He said, "Being captain seems difficult. I want to express my respect to all the senior players who have served as captains before me. I realized how tough this position is." However, he added, "My younger teammates and Moon Bo-kyung and Kwak Bin helped a lot, so it feels like we formed a good team together," expressing his gratitude.

Although there might have been regrets about his personal performance, he did not dwell on them. Noh Si-hwan said, "Going out as one team wearing the flag of the Republic of Korea," and added with a smile, "I came back with a gold medal around my neck as part of the team, so I don't think my personal performance matters."

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*This content was translated by AI.