North Korea wins first Olympic medal in 8 years with fairytale table tennis run | NK News
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December 03, 2024
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North Korea wins first Olympic medal in 8 years with fairytale table tennis run

Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong defeated one higher-ranked opponent after another en route to silver in mixed doubles event

A little-known North Korean table tennis duo has capped a fairytale run at the Summer Games in Paris by winning their country’s first Olympic medal in eight years, bringing home silver in the mixed doubles event.

Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong entered the competition as the lowest-ranked team but vanquished one higher-ranked opponent after another to make it to the final, where they lost to favorites Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha of China by a score of 4-2 (11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8).

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