Table tennis mixed doubles players eye Asian Games gold over Chinese rivals

JINCHEON, North Chungcheong Province — South Korean table tennis mixed doubles players Shin Yu-bin and Lim Jong-hoon said Thursday they will take aim at the biggest prize at this year's Asian Games in Japan.

To get to the top of the podium this fall, Shin and Lim, No.

1 in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) world rankings, know they will likely have to get past the top Chinese pair of Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin.

"Playing for the country always comes with pressure, but I am supposed to be able to overcome all of that," Lim told reporters during the national team media day at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, about 85 kilometers south of Seoul.

"It is not a given that we will win a medal, but we will go for a gold medal this time." Shin chimed in: "It is an honor to be able to represent the country, and we will do our best to bring home the best results possible." Shin and Lim combined for bronze medal at the previous Asian Games in 2023 in Hangzhou, China, after losing to Sun and Wang in the semifinals.

The South Koreans lost to the same Chinese tandem in ...