China players celebrate winning the women's hockey gold medal at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province on Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Li An)
HANGZHOU, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- China beat South Korea 2-0 in the women's hockey final to pocket the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Saturday.
The win also handed China the lone Olympic qualification spot on offer here for Paris 2024.
Chen Yi opened the scoring for China in open play in the seventh minute as the hosts began strongly. Zou Meirong sealed the victory with a second goal in the 54th minute.
"This is really special. We have worked so hard for this, and these girls have improved so much. They've done so much in the last year," said China head coach Alyson Regina Annan.
"We didn't play well today, we could have played better, but they fought. We got the Olympic ticket, which is what we came for."
The win also represents China's fourth Asian Games gold medal in women's hockey, after having finished third at the previous edition in Jakarta in 2018.
Elsewhere, India defeated Japan 2-1 to get the bronze medal. ■