North Korea has secured its first Olympic medal in eight years as their mixed doubles table tennis team defeated Hong Kong and advanced to the finals against China. China’s team also made it to the final after a tough match against the Korean team. The North Korean team of Kim Kum Yong and Ri Jong Sik is aiming for gold, despite rarely competing in international tournaments before the Paris Olympics. They managed to defeat Hong Kong’s team in a gruelling match that lasted over an hour.
The Chinese team will face a tough challenge from North Korea, as Kim and Ri are proving to be formidable opponents. This final match will be the hardest fight for China’s dream team, as they have not played against the North Korean team before. The Chinese team is preparing meticulously for the final showdown to ensure they can claim the gold medal. Earlier in the men’s singles event, China’s Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng had successful first-round matches in Paris.
Fan beat Ukraine’s Yaroslav Zhmudenko while Chen ousted Algeria’s Lynda Loghraibi to reach the round of 32. Fan, who expressed that Paris could be his final Olympic appearance, had previously lost in the final in Tokyo without fans due to Covid-19 restrictions. The atmosphere of having spectators in Paris has been a motivating factor for Fan as he competes in the tournament. Various other players from different countries have also been delivering riveting performances in their matches.
Japanese player Tomokazu Harimoto bounced back from a surprise elimination in the first round of mixed doubles to beat Belgium’s Martin Allegro. Senegal’s Ibrahima Diaw and Hong Kong’s Wong Chun-ting engaged in a captivating match that lasted an hour, with Wong Chun-ting emerging victorious after a particularly intense second set. The competition is fierce among players from different countries, with Poland’s Natalia Bajor also winning a marathon match against Thailand’s Suthasini Sawettabut. The Paris Olympics have seen thrilling matches and unexpected outcomes in table tennis.
