The combined women’s ice hockey team thrilled the Koreans even without a single victory. How it goes on is open.
The players from the north and south turned a final round of honour, the Canadian coach’s tears were shedding tears, and 4,000 spectators kept shouting:”We’re one” The combined ice hockey team didn’t play a single game at the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, but won the hearts of the Koreans.
“Sport brings people together, the sport tears down walls,” said Sarah Murray:”I’m so proud of them,” after the final siren for the team of 23 South Koreans and 12 North Koreans, the Canadian had overwhelmed their feelings. The politicians made the decision, they brought it to life.”
The fact that Sweden lost the match for seventh place 1:6 against Sweden did not reduce their pride. Only three weeks ago, the North Koreans had joined them, but the team grew together quickly,”They made friends,”Murray said,”after the last practice session they hugged and took pictures.”
The team will remain together until the closing ceremony, and then the players from the north will disappear behind the Iron Curtain again,”It will be a sad farewell,” said the Canadian:”We hope to see them again.” The South Korean Han Soo Jin added:”I will miss them.
Whether there is a common future lies in the hands of politicians and officials. Rene Fasel, President of the World Confederation IIHF, suggested to continue the project for Beijing 2022,”as a message of peace”.
Yes, it would be fun,”said Park Yoon Jung, born in South Korea, adopted in the USA and raised as Marissa Brandt,” giving us more time. Who knows what we could do.”
I don’t know exactly how it’s supposed to work,”said the American-born Randi Griffin. She refuses to bring the team together again until just before the first game:”We don’t want it that way. If there’s a way to go all the way together, maybe it is.”
To do so, the Korea team would have to take part in the World Cup tournaments. However, the chance of qualifying for the Olympic Games in four years’ time is slim – even if the number of participants is to be increased from eight to ten teams. South Korea currently occupies 22nd place in the world rankings, while North Korea is in 25th place. In Pyeongchang, the hosts conceded 28 goals in five games and scored only two goals.
Griffin saw the historic performances with mixed feelings.”It touches the heart,”said the 29-year-old,”but it was a complex experience with many different aspects.”
Above all, the cheerleaders of North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un were critical of them:”It felt as if they weren’t here for us or for ice hockey, but for something else” Griffin’s grandparents witnessed the invasion from the north during the Korean War in 1950, family members were kidnapped by the North Koreans.