KOR - An amazing streak of medals

TAIPEI (FIBA Asia Championship for Women/FIBA World Championship for Women) - If there is a near certainty in international basketball, it's that Korea always leave the FIBA Asia Championship for Women with a medal.

Since hosting the inaugural event in 1965 and finishing top of the podium, the Koreans have ended up in the first three at every one of the showpiece events for the women's game in Asia.

In 12 of the 24 FIBA Asia Championships, the Korean women have captured the title.

In nine others, they have finished runners-up.

Korea will be one of the teams to watch at the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship for Women judging from their performance at the William Jones Cup in Miaoli City, Chinese Taipei.

Led by Kim Youn Joo throughout the tournament, Korea won all five of their games.

They used a 68-59 win over one of their biggest rivals in Asia, Japan, as a launch pad for a dominating run.

They followed that up with wins over a team from the United States (97-93), Thailand (91-51), Chinese Taipei 'B' ( 76-63) and Chinese Taipei 'A' (75-52).

Kim was named the MVP of the competition.

This year's FIBA Asia Championship for Women will be staged in Bangkok, Thailand, from 27 October to 3 November.

The tournament will serve as a qualifying event for the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women in Turkey.

If, as expected, the Koreans do qualify, the country will have both of their senior teams at next year's premier international hoops events as the men clinched a place in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup by claiming a bronze medal earlier this month at the FIBA Asia Championship in the Philippines.

FIBA