‘Table tennis prodigy’ Shin Yubin finally gets first medal at Worlds…Jeon Jeon-hee and Yeo Bok reach quarterfinals, secure minimum bronze
[Sports Seoul | Kyungmoo Kim] Shin Yoo-bin (19, Korean Air) has been a national favorite as a “table tennis prodigy” since childhood. He finally realized his dream of winning his first medal on the world stage.
The women’s doubles quarterfinals of the 2023 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Championships continued at the Durban International Convention Center (DICC) in Durban, South Africa, on Friday (local time).메이저놀이터
World No. 12 Shin Yubin-Jeon Hee (31-Mirae Asset Securities) advanced to the quarterfinals with a 3-0 (11-9, 15-13, 11-4) victory over No. 3-ranked European Champions Sofia Polkanova (Austria)-Bernadette Sötz (Romania).
Shin Yubin (left) and Jeon Jeon-hee pose for a photo after reaching the quarterfinals. Korea Table Tennis Association
Shin Yubin (L) and Jeon Jeon-hee rally during their quarterfinal match. Korea Table Tennis Association
At the World Championships, there is no bronze medal match if a player loses in the quarterfinals, and the loser is awarded a bronze medal. For Shin Yoo-bin and Jeon Jeon-hee, at least the bronze medal was secured.
It has been 12 years since South Korea won a medal in the women’s doubles at the World Championships, with Kim Kyung-ah and Park Mi-young taking bronze in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in 2011.
Shin Yoo-bin and Jeon Jeon-hee will play the winners of the quarterfinals against world No. 1 Sun Ying-sha and Wang Man-yu of China and fourth-ranked Chung Yi-jing and Lee Yui-jun of Chinese Taipei on Saturday.
Yoo Seung-min, president of the Korea Table Tennis Federation, congratulates Shin Yubin and Jeon Jeon-hee. Korea Table Tennis Association
After the match, Shin Yubin told the Joint Press Area, “It’s good to have secured the bronze medal. Our goal is to win one more match, so we will have to discuss with my sister and prepare well so that we can make the remaining matches even better.”
“I’ve been coming to Korea for 13-14 years, and the World Championships started in 2018 when the restrictions were lifted, so it’s been a long time since I’ve won a medal. I think Yoo Bin is the reason I’m here today, even at the awards ceremony. I’m so grateful to her. I’m also grateful to myself for not giving up and persevering,” she said.