S. Korea adds three golds at Delphic Games

By Shin Hae-in
JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, the host of the
ongoing International Delphic Games, added three gold medals to its tally as it
heads toward the close of the six-day global cultural competition, organizers
said Monday.

The third Delphic Games, held on the South Korean island of Jeju, drew 395
competitors from 35 countries, all hoping to showcase their talents and cultural
heritage. They will perform in 18 competitions in six categories -- music and
acoustic arts; the performing arts; craft, design and visual arts; linguistic
arts; communication and social arts; and architecture and ecological arts.
The event will close later Monday.
At the graphic storytelling competition, an individual event that ran for three
days from last Friday, South Korea's Jueng Won-kyo took gold, while silver went
to Leo Agtuca from the Philippines and the bronze to Kang Na-young, also from
South Korea.
The host of the Delphic Games added another gold in the documentary production
event, showing off its talent in the filmmaking field with the country's Kim
Jung-wan winning the top prize, followed by Marcin Buczkowski from Poland who won
silver and India's Jasraj Singh Bhatti who won bronze.
In the sculpture event, which falls under the crafts, design and visual arts
category, Ernesto Dul-ang from the Philippines won gold, while South Korea's Kim
Jin-kyung won silver and India's Vipin Bhadauria won bronze. India's Shabir Mirza
took the Delphic Laurel Award, given to competitors who blend characteristics of
their local culture with innovative techniques.
South Korean team Cheongbae Playgroup won gold in the percussion section, a group
competition in the music and acoustic arts category, while Indian Percussion
Group took silver. India's Pung Cholom/Dhol Group also won bronze.
The gold medal in the dance improvisation event went to Lebanon's Ahmad Ghossein,
while silver went to Park Jae-hyun from South Korea and bronze to Japan's Nanako
Ueda. The Delphic Laurel Award was given to Burkina Faso's Sanou Aguibou
Bougobali.
Under the theme "Tuning into Nature," this year's Delphic Games opened last
Wednesday with performers from 54 countries gathering for the competition, as
well as special performances and lectures.
The Delphic Games originated out of the ancient Greek culture festivals held
every four years at the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. With representatives from
18 nations founding the International Delphic Council in 1994, the first round of
the culture Olympics was held in Russia and the second in Malaysia in 2005. The
event in South Korea is the largest so far.
Winners are given the gold, silver or bronze Delphic Medal Award, as well as the
Delphic Laurel Award, the Delphic Peace Award and the Delphic Lyre Award, which
can also be awarded to the medalists.
The event was to close later Monday after the final award winners were announced.
The closing ceremony -- featuring performances by winners in the performing arts
competitions, as well as South African dancer Vincent Mantsoe and South Korean
fusion music team "Whool" -- was to take place a day earlier than previously
scheduled as most of the competitors and participants will return home Monday,
organizers said.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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