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Busan Hits & Misses

Hit: Three new players

The 14th Asian Games, the biggest to date, kicked off on 29 September 2002 with a spectacular ceremony in the South Korean city of Busan.

More than 6,700 athletes from 44 countries took part, with East Timor making its debut at an international sports event.

Right: East Timor contingent marching at the opening ceremony of the 14th Asian Games

The Games also marked Afghanistan's return to competition after a decade.

Afghanistan's Roia Zamani (left) became the first Afghan women to win a medal for her country since Afghanistan first participated in the New Delhi games in 1982.

This is also war-torn Afghanistan's first medal of the Asian Games for 20 years.

Left: Afghanistan's bronze medallistwaves to her flag.

This is the first time North Korea is participating in a major sports event in South Korea since 1948.

The most notable athlete in its contingent this games has got to be North Korean Ri Song Hui (right).

The weightlifter lifted 102.5 kg of weight during the snatch section in the women 53kg weightlifting event on 01 October 2002, setting a new world record.

Right: Ri breaking a world record.
Picture source: AFP
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