JAKARTA, Indonesia (Dispatches) - Two countries. One significant medal.
A combined Koreas crew has earned a historic bronze medal at the Asian Games by finishing third in the women's 200-meter dragon boat final behind China and games host Indonesia.
It was the first time a combined team from the DPRK (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) and ROK (the Republic of Korea) has won a medal at a major multi-sport international event.
And it was awarded to Korea — the name given to the combined teams the war-divided countries entered in rowing, canoeing and women's basketball.
"In the first place, we weren't sure if this unified team would be formed, but I'm so happy that we won the bronze medal in the end," the crew's captain, Kim Hyeon-hee, from ROK, was quoted as saying by Yonhap.
"I did get emotional. I tried not to cry but in my heart, I think there's something about being a Korean."
The Koreas, still technically at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, have fielded 60 athletes in combined teams in the three sports along with larger contingents for their respective national squads.
A group of athletes from the DPRK and ROK paraded into the opening ceremony last weekend behind the "unification" flag which features the outline of the peninsula in blue on a white background.