(Asiad) S. Korea takes bronze medals in men's, women's table tennis team events

NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea ended up with bronze medals in both the men's and women's table tennis team events at the Asian Games on Wednesday, following shutout losses against their Japanese foes in the semifinals.

The men's team fell 3-0, with Jang Woo-jin, An Jae-hyun and Oh Jun-sung all losing their singles matches at Sky Hall Toyota in Toyota, some 25 kilometers east of the main host city of Nagoya.

Sora Matsushima took care of Jang 3-1 (11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8), and then Tomokazu Harimoto beat An 3-0 (12-10, 11-5, 11-9). Shunsuke Togami put the finishing touch on the Japanese win by defeating Oh 3-2 (7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 10-12, 11-9).

The women's team lost by the same score of 3-0.

Shin Yu-bin fell to Hina Hayata 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-4), and Joo Cheon-hui also went down 3-0 (11-7, 11-8, 11-9) against Miwa Harimoto. Miyu Nagasaki then closed out the South Koreans by beating Kim Na-yeong 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 11-7).

There are no bronze medal matches in the team events in table tennis, and all semifinal losers received bronze medals.

South Korea last won a men's team Asiad gold in 1990 in Beijing. China has won every men's team title since.

South Korea's most recent women's team gold medal came in 1986 in Seoul. China has won every gold since 2006.

With China dominating the sport, table tennis gold medals have been hard to come by for South Korea. Shin won the women's doubles gold with Jeon Ji-hee in 2023, and that was South Korea's first table tennis Asiad gold in 21 years.

Shin now plays her doubles with Joo. Shin is a bigger medal hopeful in the mixed doubles with Lim Jong-hoon, as they are the world No. 1 in their event with an Olympic bronze to their credit.