 |
| Seok Eun-mi, the national women's table tennis team coach, and Shin Yu-bin. |
|
 |
| 2025 women's table tennis team in Bhubaneswar, India. From left, Yang Ha-eun, Lee Eun-hye, Choi Hyo-joo, Lee Tae-sung, Korea Table Tennis Association President, Kim Na-young, Shin Yoo-bin, Seo Hyo-won, Cho Min-young, medical trainer, Choi Hyun-jin, Seok Eun-mi, and Choi Young-il. |
|
Legend The Korean women's table tennis team, led by coach Seok Eun-mi, will face Hong Kong in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Asian Championship.
Hong Kong was selected against the quarterfinals, the first match of the Asian Championship (group match) to be held in Bhubaneswar, India, on the afternoon of the 12th (Korea time). The biennial Asian Championships will be held as a team event this year as individual and team events will be alternated in the form of the World Championships starting this year.
The Korean women's table tennis team had a painful memory of failing to advance to the semifinals last year after losing 2-3 to India in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games in Kazakhstan. The Asian Championship will feature five national team members, Shin Yu-bin, who became the first Korean women's table tennis player to reach the semifinals of singles at the WTT China Smash, and Lee Eun-hye (Korean Air), Kim Na-young (Posco International), Choi Hyo-joo (Korea Racing Authority), and Yang Ha-eun (Hwaseong City Corporation). The key to Hong Kong's victory is how to target ace Duhoicem with Duhoicem, Wing Lam, and Ju Chung-joo. It is a squad that is well harmonized with the old and new, such as the recent rise of ace Shin Yu-bin and Yang Ha-eun, who has been unwavering in domestic competitions, and it is evaluated that it is worth trying in terms of power.
 |
| 석은미 감독 |
|
Seok Eun-mi, head coach of the women's table tennis team, is leading the renaissance of women's table tennis after winning the gold medal in women's doubles at the 2002 Busan Asian Games, the silver in women's doubles at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and the gold in women's doubles at the 2000 Doha Asian Championships.
Coach Seok expected the positive impact of the Korean players' progress, including Shin Yu-bin, who reached the quarterfinals by beating Shin Yu-bin, Ito Mima (Japan), and Xu Xinyao (China), who reached the quarterfinals, ahead of the Asian Championship, on the women's team as a whole. "What (Shin) Yu-bin and Chun-hee Co., Ltd. practiced came out in practice." The players clearly knew what direction to prepare in the process, and the results came out. We confirmed the hope and possibility that if we prepare solidly in the correct direction, we can reach the level we want"The 'chemistry' between the leader and the player is important, but I, Coach Choi Hyun-jin, and Coach Seo Hyo-won are all trying to take a better direction and training by communicating with each player through dialogue." "It's just the beginning. It's hard to jump to conclusions with just one possibility. We need to prepare harder. We need to think more about the growth of young players and take a serious approach," he said emphatically.
The goal of the Asian Championship is to advance to the finals beyond the semifinals. Director Seok said, `It will go up one step at a time. Hong Kong, India. Anywhere is good. I also want to try 'Revenge' on India. With a good performance against China, he vowed to play a game showing hope that `this is the way it should be.' Coach Seok said, `This competition is the process of going to the World Championship next year, the Aichi and Nagoya Asian Games,' adding, `We have to build our own skills. Not only Shin Yu-bin and Joo Chun-hee, but also (Kim) Na-young should come up. We need to build a solid semifinal 'skill' that everyone can acknowledge." "I won the bronze medal in the team event at the Paris Olympics, but to put it bluntly, I'm not sure I'm recognized by everyone yet. I can do it once because I'm lucky, but the overall level of all players should be upgraded." "First of all, against China and Japan, the idea that it can't be done should never be done. Let's keep tapping. Let's challenge. Let's find a way to do better"The mood was conveyed.
 |
| The women's table tennis team's medical trainer Cho Min-young, coach Choi Hyun-jin, coach Shin Yoo-bin, coach Seo Hyo-won, and coach Seok Eun-mi (from left) are shouting fighting ahead of their departure for the Asian Championship. |
|
Ahead of the quarterfinals of the Asian Championship, coach Seok said, `We are in the final from the quarterfinals. We will find the best condition and best combination among the five players, and use them after grasping their relativity. (Shin) Yu-bin should play the role of ace, and he will put forward the best lineup of every game." Regarding Shin's team competition performance, Seok said, `Yu-bin is a player who can handle his duties better than anyone else. I love table tennis and I am not afraid of challenges. The mindset to lead by example in a difficult situation is also an advantage, he said, expressing absolute trust.
 |
| Seo Hyo-won, the youngest coach of the women's table tennis team, and Seok Eun-mi. |
|
Coach Seo Hyo-won, who joined the national team as the "youngest leader" after running with his juniors under the national flag as "captain" until last year, emphasized the spirit of "one team". "At the Hangzhou Asian Games, I went to the team event with (former) Ji-hee, (Yang) Ha-eun, and (Shin) Yu-bin, and the ace should bear the burden, but it is important for all my teammates to ease the ace's burden and share it with one mind." "Ji-hee and Ha-eun also remember saying, 'Unnie, I'll definitely catch one.'" In the team competition, the most important thing is to unite with the mind of catching one game each under one goal. Ha Eun-i, Eun-hye, and Hyo-joo are all experienced players. I know how to do the team competition and I will work with my juniors and do well," he said.
Reporter Jeon Young-ji sky4us@sportschosun.com
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
