Gijang County wins overall title at this year's Busan Ssireum King Selection Tournament

[Financial News] Gijang County won the overall title at this year's Busan Ssireum King Selection Tournament.
The Busan Sports Council said on the 2nd that it had recently held the Busan Ssireum King Selection Tournament to expand the reach of ssireum, Korea's traditional sport, and promote grassroots sports.
Amateur ssireum wrestlers representing 15 districts and counties in Busan took part in the tournament. They competed in six divisions: three men's divisions (youth, middle-aged and senior) and three women's divisions (60 kg and under, 70 kg and under, and 80 kg and under).
Gijang County took the overall title, with Dongnae District and Busanjin District placing second and third overall, respectively. Gijang County's Park Dae-hoon won the middle-aged division, and Park Ji-hee won the women's 70 kg-and-under division, helping secure the overall title. Dongnae District's Lee Jun-young won the youth division, while Lee Hye-rim took top honors in the women's 80 kg-and-under division.
This year's tournament drew attention for repeat wins by last year's champions and strong performances by athletes who placed the previous year. Shim Yeon-ji (16) of Haeundae District, who competed in the 60 kg-and-under division, won again this year, claiming her fourth consecutive tournament victory.
Park Dae-hoon of Gijang County won his second consecutive title. Huh Seong-yong of Haeundae District overcame last year's disappointment of finishing runner-up to win the senior division this year. Jang In-hwa, president of the Busan Sports Council, said, “We will expand opportunities to take part in grassroots sports so citizens can become familiar with and enjoy traditional sports,” adding, “We will work to broaden the reach of and promote local ssireum.”
Ahead of the Busan Sports Council president election, which will be held on the 16th of next month, the Busan Metropolitan City Election Commission will hold a candidate registration briefing at 2 p.m. on the 6th in a small conference room on the fourth floor of its office.
[email protected] Baek Chang-hoon Reporter