ATHENS, 24 August 2004 — South Korea’s Ryu Seung-min upset Wang Hao to win gold in the men’s singles final yesterday and disrupt China’s domination of Olympic table tennis.

Ryu won 11-3, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 11-9 in a thrilling final to become the first Korean to win the title since Yoo Nam-kyu at Seoul in 1988 when the sport was included at the Olympics for the first time.

“Even though I won, I have to admit that Wang is a better player than I am,” Ryu said.

Chinese head coach Liu Guoliang said Wang had crumbled under the huge weight of public expectation but Wang was unconcerned, saying his loss did not change the fact China remained the world’s best table tennis team.

Earlier, compatriot and world No. 1 Wang Liqin took the bronze medal playoff against experienced Swede Jan-Ove Waldner, who was making his last appearance at the Olympics at age 38.

The Chinese won 10-12, 11-3, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 to deny Waldner, who won gold in Barcelona and silver in Sydney, a full set of medals.

Waldner, who has been to all five Olympics where table tennis has been included, said: “It would have been fun to have won the bronze but life goes on. I’m going to rest for a while then start training again in September.

Doubles May Be Dumped in 2008

In an effort to make table tennis more of a crowd pleaser, the sports governing body wants to drop the doubles from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and stop China from winning so many medals.

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), plans to replace the pairs with a team event.

“We have submitted an official proposal to the IOC regarding changes to be made,” ITTF president Adham Sharara said.

“A decision is expected in 2005 and we are optimistic that it will be a positive one, provided the number of players and judges doesn’t change.”

China has won 11 of the 12 golds medals decided at the last three Olympics, including Athens, but there are concerns their domination is unhealthy for the sport.

The Chinese invariably win two medals in most events so a new rule change at the Athens Olympics prevented players from the same country meeting in the final.

Under the proposed rule change for Beijing, China’s medal count will be reduced because countries will only be allowed to enter one team.

Sharara denied the changes were designed to stop China from winning but conceded countries needed to catch up to them.

“All the changes were made in order to render table tennis more attractive and more modern,” he said.