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China take women's team gold
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CHINA won the women's team event at the world table tennis championships on Saturday, just hours after the men's side had saved an incredible seven match points to somehow grab a place in their final.
But Chinese joy proved agonizing for Korean supporters, who watched as first the South Korean men and then the North Korean women lost out to their all-conquering arch-rivals.
While the women's final result was no surprise -- it was China's 13th such title in the last 14 world championships -- the South Korean defeat was a particularly cruel one.
Kim Taek-soo had seven chances to kill the match over two separate games but to the increasing horror of the vocal Korean supporters, who have supported North and South equally, could not finish any off.
Again and again China's Liu Guozheng pulled his way back from seemingly impossible situations, countering smash with smash, before eventually gaining his own match point, which he duly despatched.
The 21-year-old disappeared under a pile of teammates while a desolate Kim marched off court, his face grim.
At a press conference later a still-downcast Kim admitted an opportunity had been lost.
“It was a really good chance to beat China and it's very disappointing,” he said, staring at the floor and speaking very quietly.
Kim paid tribute to his 21-year-old opponent: “He's young but he was able to concentrate really well. He's a great player.”
In contrast no one expected North Korea's women to beat the Chinese, who sent out the three top female players in the world, and the Koreans appeared content to have taken two games during the 0-3 defeat.
However, Chinese women's coach Lu Yuansheng said winning the title had been more difficult than it appeared.
“Although we won the championship and all the matches 3-0 we had some difficult matches,” he said.
“The level of women's table tennis has been moving up and this was what we deserved from our hard work.” (SD-Agencies)
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