After an eight-year hiatus, North Korea’s table tennis team made a striking return to the Olympics, clinching a coveted medal. Despite not having a world ranking, the mixed doubles duo of Ri Jong Sik and Kim Geum Young made a significant impact. They overcame formidable opponents to secure the silver medal.
In the final at South Paris Arena 4 in Paris on the 30th, Ri Jong Sik and Kim Geum Young were defeated by the Chinese duo Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha with a score of 2-4 (6-11, 11-7, 8-11, 5-11, 11-7, 8-11).
Although Ri and Kim fell short against China’s top-ranked team in the final, their performance throughout the tournament was impressive. They demonstrated remarkable skill and competitive spirit, pushing China to its limits at every crucial moment.
Due to concerns over COVID-19, North Korea did not send athletes to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Consequently, due to sanctions imposed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), they could not participate in international competitions until the end of 2022.
As a result, Ri and Kim were excluded from the world rankings and faced challenges in gaining experience and adapting to current trends due to their absence from international events.
Despite an eight-year gap since the 2016 Rio Olympics, North Korea’s table tennis team has maintained its momentum and continues to perform as a dark horse.
North Korea staged a dramatic comeback by defeating the Japanese duo of Harimoto Tomokazu and Hayata Hina, who were ranked second in the world and heavily favored to win in the round of 16. The North Korean team then continued their winning streak by overcoming Sweden in the quarterfinals and Hong Kong in the semifinals.
Thanks to their efforts, North Korea revived its Olympic medal tally following Kim Song I’s bronze medal in women’s singles at the 2016 Rio Games.
This silver medal is a significant achievement for the entire North Korean delegation.
North Korea sent 16 athletes across seven sports to the competition but initially struggled to achieve notable results. However, Ri Jong Sik and Kim Geum Young made a breakthrough by securing the team’s first medal.