Hosts Korea beat Hong Kong 12-7 in the final of the Asia Rugby Olympic Games qualifier to book their spot at next year’s Tokyo 2020.
Seongmin Jang will steal the headlines after crossing in sudden death extra time, scoring a length of the field try having turned Hong Kong over on their own try line to spark emotional celebrations.
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It was heartbreaking for Hong Kong but elation for the hosts and they will now join Japan at next year’s Games with Hong Kong and China joining the repechage.
Jamie Hood gave Hong Kong a slender lead in the first half after four minutes of enthralling action but Park Wanyong scored for Korea, the first try Hong Kong had conceded all weekend, levelling the scores at 7-7 to set up a thrilling finale in sudden death extra time.
“The last try was amazing, it means so much to us,” said captain Wanyong.
“We give the fans an Olympic opportunity and this is for the fans.”
It will be only the second time rugby sevens has been at the Games having made its debut at Rio 2016.
12 men’s side and 12 women’s sides will compete for the prestigious gold, silver and bronze medals, and Asia will now be represented by both Japan men and women as well as China women and Korea men.
Kazakhstan and Hong Kong women and Hong Kong and China men will also head to the global repechage for one last change of a ticket to Tokyo.
Liu Luda, Shan Changshun and Wu Jiajun confirmed China’s place at the repechage in the all-important third place play-off with a 19-14 win over the Philippines.
Earlier, in the quarter-finals Junyoung Bang scored a hat-trick in the host’s quarter-final victory over Malaysia, while Lee Jones scored two in Hong Kong’s 38-0 defeat of Afghanistan.
Jeong Min Jang scored for Korea in the final play to win 12-7 after trailing 7-0 in the first semi-final with Hong Kong cruising to a 26-0 win over the Philippines who had knocked Sri Lanka out in their quarter-final.
Singapore finished seventh with a 33-7 win over Afghanistan thanks to a hat-trick from Adam Vine while Sri Lanka beat Malaysia 14-7 to win the Plate.
Results
Final Korea 12-7 Hong Kong
Third-place play-off China 19-14 Philippines
Semi finals
Korea 12-7 China
Philippines 0-26 Hong Kong
Quarterfinals
Korea 32-7 Malaysia
China 50-5 Singapore
Sri Lanka 17-24 Philippines
Hong Kong 38-0 Afghanistan
Plate final
Sri Lanka 14-7 Malaysia
Plate semi finals
Malaysia 21-7 Singapore
Sri Lanka 40-0
7th/8th play-off
Singapore 33-7 Afghanistan
