Asian judo champ Jang to retire due to injury

YEOSU, South Korea, Oct. 10 (Yonhap) -- Asian Games judo champion Jang Sung-ho,
who carried South Korea's flag in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics,
said Friday he is retiring.

Jang, who failed to move past the quarterfinals of the men's 100-kilogram
competition at the Olympics in August, recently suffered a dislocated shoulder
during a championship bout in Japan.
The 30-year-old hoped to stage his retirement match at a national athletic
competition that begins Friday in South Korea's southwestern region, but decided
to participate as a trainer instead.
"I've competed as a player for exactly ten years," said the 2006 Doha Asian Games
gold medalist and 2004 Athens silver medalist. "I'm starting a new career as part
of the coaching staff. I hope many fans will continue to love judo."
The National Sports Festival, South Korea's oldest and largest sporting event,
begins Friday with over 18,000 athletes participating for a weeklong run.