PYONGYANG, North Korea -- Despite claiming only two gold medals in Rio, North Korea is as determined as ever to fulfill one of leader Kim Jong Uns primary goals: to become an international sports superpower.North Koreas small Olympic team won its two golds in weightlifting, where it has a number of world-class and world-record-holding lifters, and gymnastics. Weightlifter Rim Jong Sim won the gold in the womens 75-kilogram division, while gymnast Ri Se Gwang won the mens vault. The North also won three silver and two bronze medals.When our Rim Jong Sim stood on the podium with our national anthem playing, she cried and my mother and I cried, too, as we watched on TV, Ri Yun Gum, an 18-year-old government worker, said Monday in Pyongyang as the Rio games were coming to a close. I think our athletes are able to win not just because they train hard, but because of their mental toughness.The performance was a tad shy of expectations, since North Korea had four golds in London.But transforming North Korea, which has very limited economic resources and a population of only about 25 million, into a player to be reckoned with on the global sports stage is one of Kims pet projects, and he has poured funds into the development and training of promising athletes over the past several years.It has already made a visible mark on Pyongyang.The relatively affluent capital has seen the rise of a number of major new or renovated sports venues, and each year its usually restricted streets are opened for the Pyongyang Marathon, which has become a major tourist attraction. Though pickup volleyball games and football matches in schoolyards have long been a staple in the city, its now a common sight to see young people out jogging or even canoeing on the two main rivers that run through Pyongyang.And while South Korea lets its top athletes get out of military service as a gold medal reward, elite athletes returning home to the North after winning international competitions often get a heros welcome -- and maybe a condo.Of course, Pyongyangs push to garner international prestige and generate national pride by winning medals isnt terribly original. It appears to have been pulled straight out of the playbook of former Soviet bloc countries like East Germany, and is similar to the strong political significance sports are still given in Russia and China, North Koreas two biggest historical backers.But the campaign is also seen as part of Kims effort to make North Korea a more modern nation.There are two reasons why sports are important, Jang Sok Ha, manager of the newly opened Pyongyang Sports Equipment Factory, told The Associated Press on Monday. People in good health can work harder, but they also need cultural rest and recreation.Jangs sparkling new factory, which opened in April, is a big part of the drive and is one of the largest in the country. Its task is to provide regular people affordable sports equipment -- from soccer balls to badminton rackets.Standing in the factory showroom, surrounded by everything from field hockey balls to judo uniforms and bags of talcum powder for weightlifters, Jang proudly produced a basketball signed by former NBA star Dennis Rodman, one of the only foreigners to ever meet with Kim. He then grabbed a ball emblazoned with Naesongsan, his factorys brand.Our balls are good enough to be used by the NBA, too, he said.North Koreans are able to follow the Olympics, or at least some selected events, on TV and radio broadcasts and in newspapers, all of which are run by the state.I watched the games every day, said housewife Hong Un Byol, 34. I was so happy to see our national flag raised after the gold medals. The athletes practiced a lot to give pleasure to the Marshal. Kim is often respectfully referred to by that title, one of the many that he holds.Beyond the playing field, sports have from time to time provided brief respites in the normally tense relations between the two Koreas.During the 2000 Sydney Olympics, North and South Koreans marched together under a flag that symbolized unification. North Koreas womens soccer team won gold at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, with the South winning bronze. Many South Koreans delighted in seeing players from both countries celebrate together after the medal ceremony.While such sentiments were generally absent during the Rio Olympics, one of the most touching moments came when gymnasts Hong Un Jong of North Korea and Lee Eun-ju of South Korea met on the sidelines during their event and posed together smiling for a selfie. Photos of their warm moments delighted many South Koreans and provided a rare note of concord in otherwise abysmal relations between the rivals.Officially, however, both countries frown on such meetings.The Korean Peninsula is still technically in a state of war because there has been no peace treaty signed to officially end the 1950-53 Korean War. Nearly 30,000 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea in what Seoul and Washington claim is a necessary deterrent to any threats from North Korea. Turning up the heat, the U.S. and South Korea just kicked off annual war games that Pyongyang says are a prelude to invasion.Games or no games, accusations against the South of trying to create trouble -- not of hugging gymnasts -- are what dominate the headlines here.---Talmadge is the APs Pyongyang bureau chief. Chris Hogan Jersey .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. John Hannah Jersey . 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The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12.Sky Academy Scholar Siobhan-Marie OConnor ended the Duel in the Pool contest with gold in the relay, but it wasnt enough to prevent the USA from easing to a seventh successive crown. It was also a successful weekend for 1500m runner Jessica Judd whos been beefing up her power over the winter with a series of cross country runs.The 20-year-old was in Birmingham on Saturday at a very blowy Cofton Park in a Midland League race, where she stayed calm in the testing conditions to romp home to victory.Judd said: I was so happy to win. The race went really well and it was nice to see the Loughborough girls win the team as well.It was a really nice way to end 2015! Training has been going well and Im really happy where Im at. Im now going to carry on training before doing some more cross country races.OConnor is also continuing to show her growing maturity and ability to perform under pressure on the biggest stages with a four-medal haul in Indianapolis where the top swimmers from America were taking on the best in Europe.The 20-year-old from Bath was one of seven Brits competing for the European All Stars and she didnt disappoint, although the hosts easily secured their seventh successive Duel in the Pool since the event started in 2003. Jessica Judd preparing for the summer season in the competitive world of cross country Fresh from her two silvers at the European Short Course Championshipsـin Israel last weekend, OConnor began the event by finishing third in the 100m Butterfly clocking a stunning 55.dddddddddddd.93 seconds.Team USA won eight of the days first nine races to put them in control and OConnor carried on impressing in the water with bronze in the 200m Freestyle behind fierce rival but this time team-mate Katinka Hosszu.She then helped Europe to a brilliant 1-2 when Hungarian Hosszu won the 200m Individual Medley to earn vital points for the teams cause.The Americans had already cruised to glory, but pride was still at stake and OConnor anchored the final leg (52.43) in the 4x100m Freestyle relay to bring home a gold for Europe.OConnor said: Competing at Duel in the Pool was an amazing experience and it was so much fun to compete as Team Europe. The atmosphere in the pool was great and I loved it.It was a comfortable 155-107 triumph for Team USA win over Europe to retain their 100 per cent record in the Duel in the Pool, but OConnor can reflect on a dazzling show in her four events. WHATS COMING UP FOR OUR SCHOLARS25 NOV-DEC 21: Holly Bradshaw, South Africa training campDEC 9-23: Olivia Breen, Winter training camp in Doha11-13 DEC: Siobhan-Marie OConnor, Scottish Course Nationals17-20 DEC: Siobhan OConnor, ASA National Short Course Champs, Sheffieldw/c 28th DEC: Elise Christie, British Champs, Milton Keynes Also See: Duel in the Pool Double silver for OConnor About the Scholarship Meet the athletes Jerseys NFL China NFL Jerseys Outlet China NFL Hoodies China Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys China NFL T-shirts From China Cheap Authentic Jerseys NFL Jerseys Outlet Cheap Authentic Jerseys Camo China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys 2020 Cheap NFL Womens Jerseys ' ' '