Table tennis mixed doubles players eye Asian Games gold over Chinese rivals
South Korean table tennis players Lim Jong-hoon, left and Shin Yu-bin practice during their mixed doubles training session at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, Thursday. Yonhap
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 the semifinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics, though they came away with the bronze medal — South Korea's first Olympic table tennis medal in 12 years.
That loss in Paris was the Shin-Lim team's sixth in a row against the Sun-Wang duo. They are far from alone in losing so frequently to Sun and Wang, who are world No. 1 in the women's and men's singles rankings, respectively, and have combined for one Olympic gold medal and three world titles.
South Korean table tennis player Shin Yu-bin prepares to hit a shot during a training session at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, Thursday. Yonhap
However, the South Koreans have won each of their past two meetings against the Chinese — in the final at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals in Hong Kong in December 2025 and again in the final at the WTT United States Smash earlier this month.
"In the past, we had trouble defending against them, but we have improved in that area," Lim said. "It has given Yu-bin some great looks, and I have been able to minimize my errors. It has given a chance to stay in the game against them.
"Being aggressive is our strength, but it has also caused a lot of unforced errors," Lim added. "We have been able to find opportunities in other areas, while reducing our mistakes."
When asked to elaborate further, Lim cracked, "They may see this in China, and so I will keep it a secret."
"It is going to be a difficult tournament with a lot of unpredictable elements," Lim said. "The Chinese players may lose to players from another country, and we could run into some difficulties as well. We are concentrating on limiting those variables."
Having been Lim's partner for over four years, Shin, 22, said she feels quite comfortable playing with the 29-year-old.
"He always puts me at ease," Shin said. "He is a good listener and also teaches me skills like a coach. I am grateful for that."
Shin said Lim had gifted her a bracelet after they won bronze in Paris. Her idea of a gift for Lim is a little different.
"I would love to present him with a gold medal at the Asian Games," Shin said with a smile.