Gurye-gun Successfully Concludes the 13th Gurye National Women's Cheonhajangsa and University Jangsa Ssireum Tournament

Female Cheonhajangsa Lim Sujeong (Yeongdong County Office) Player Emerges
Gurye County Office Half-Moon Bear Ssireum Team Sweeps Two Weight Classes

[Gurye=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yuk Miseok] Jeollanam-do Gurye-gun (Governor Kim Sun-ho) announced on the 7th that the ‘13th National Women’s Cheonhajangsa and University Jangsa Ssireum Tournament’ held at Gurye Indoor Gymnasium was successfully concluded with the attendance of 450 athletes and tournament officials.

This tournament was divided into university division weight classes and team events, women’s division weight classes, and Cheonhajangsa events, with intense enthusiasm from the athletes as it was the highest-level Cheonhajangsa tournament among women’s jangsa ssireum competitions.

In the women’s Cheonhajangsa, player Im Su-jeong (Yeongdong County Office) advanced to the finals by defeating Kim Da-hye (Ansan City Office) 2-1 in the semifinals, and then won the championship by defeating Choi Hee-hwa (Ansan City Office), an 11-time Cheonhajangsa, 2-1 with the deulbaejigi technique.

In the women’s first division weight class jangsa, Yang Yoon-seo (Gurye County Office) won the Maehwa class (under 60kg), and Eom Ha-jin (Gurye County Office) won the Gukhwa class (under 70kg). In the second division weight class jangsa, No Eun-su (Gyeongsangnam-do) won the Maehwa class, Jang Eun-sil (Busan Metropolitan City) won the Gukhwa class, and Yang Hyun-su (Gyeongsangbuk-do) won the Mugunghwa class (under 80kg).

In the university jangsa, Lee Hyun-seo (Yeungnam University) won the Gyeongjang class, Park Seok-ho (Yeungnam University) won the Sojang class, Hong Seung-chan (Dankook University) won the Cheongjang class, Jeong Jong-jin (Yeungnam University) won the Yongjang class, Shin Hoe-ho (Dankook University) won the Yongsa class, Cha Min-su (Dong-A University) won the Yeoksa class, and Kim Min-jae (Ulsan University) won the Jangsa class. In the university division team event, Gyeongnam University defeated Howon University to claim the championship.

The Gurye County Office Ssireum team celebrated the glory of sweeping all the first division women’s ssireum jangsa titles, with Yang Yoon-seo winning first place, Lee Yeon-woo second place, and Seon Chae-rim third place in the Maehwa class, and Eom Ha-jin winning first place in the Gukhwa class.

Kim Sun-ho, Governor of Gurye-gun, said, “With pride as the birthplace of women’s ssireum, we hosted the Women’s Cheonhajangsa tournament to provide a stage for athletes to showcase their splendid matches,” and added, “We will provide unwavering support to develop and popularize ssireum, a traditional Korean folk game.”

Gurye=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yuk Miseok kun5783@asiae.co.kr