South Korean swimmer Park Tae Hwan was awarded the Most Valuable
Player (MVP) of the 15th Asian Games on Friday.
Park received 231 votes from journalists covering the Games for
the honor, ahead of Yang Wei of China in 99 votes, Indian Jaspal
Rana in 96, Chinese Pang Jiaying in 85 and Olympic champion and
world record holder in 110m hurdles Liu Xiang with 32.
Park, 17, clinched three gold medals in the men's 200m, 400m and
1,500m freestyles and set up two Asian records.
World champion Yang crowned the men's all-round gymnastics title
while his fellow Chinese Pang won the women's 200m freestyle as
well as three relay events. Chinese sensation Liu eased to the 110m
hurdles victory. Rana bagged three golds in shooting.
Park will receive a trophy along with an LCD TV and a
US$50,000 check while the four finalists were each presented
with a trophy and a mobile phone.
A total of 869 votes were cast by journalists.
(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2006)