'Wa' at 57, still formidable! Korean table tennis legend Hyun Jung-hwa, after 32 years, wins all three matches and advances to the main draw at the [Gangneung World Masters]

*This content was translated by AI.

The skill of the Olympic gold medalist remains unchanged. Hyun Jung-hwa (57), executive committee chairperson of the XIOM 2026 Gangneung World Masters Table Tennis Championships, who returned to the court for the first time in 31 years after retirement, advanced to the main draw with three consecutive victories.

Hyeon Jeong-hwa (Chairman) secured three consecutive victories in the women's 55-59 singles preliminary Group 4 of the tournament held on the evening of the 7th at the O-bal (Speed Skating Arena) in Gangneung, Gangwon-do, and advanced to the main draw tournament.

Hyeon (Chairman) faced tough competition in the same group with Pia Toelhoej of Denmark, Lim Hye-sook of Korea, and Kwok Chui Lin of Ireland.

According to an organizing committee official, Hyun Jung-hwa's lightning-fast advance attacks, which once placed her at the pinnacle of the world during her active career, are still alive. She displayed attacks that seized the timing by suddenly diving forward and sharp course exploitation, reminding many table tennis fans of the 'World Champion Hyun Jung-hwa' they remember.

Returning to the court for the first time in 32 years after retiring in 1994, the process was not easy. Unlike the fast balls of active players, the diverse spin and rhythm of recreational athletes were more difficult than expected. Especially in the match against Lim Hye-sook, Hyeon (Chairman) lost the second game and was trailing in the third game, facing a crisis. She turned the match around with her characteristic concentration, but even Hyeon (Chairman) was left speechless.

After the match, Hyeon (Chairman) smiled, saying, "I was surprised because I was cut and pushed back more than I thought, and the rhythm was different. It's different from playing against other athletes." She continued, "Athletes try to attack each other, but in recreational table tennis, there are many connections and different spins. I think I need to focus more on connecting now rather than trying to hit everything myself," sharing her adaptation period on the Masters stage.

Lim Hye-sook, who had a close match with Hyeon (Chairman), also shared meaningful remarks. Lim Hye-sook is a pure recreational athlete who trains at the Neotable Tennis Court in Yangsan, Gyeongnam. Lim Hye-sook said, "I was actually surprised to have Coach Hyun Jung-hwa in the same group. Others might say it's great, but I felt a bit burdened. However, once we started playing, she made me feel comfortable and seemed to allow me to continue rallies rather than difficult serves. It will become a wonderful memory for a lifetime," she smiled.

The scene of the day was as special as the results. In the match against Denmark's Pia Toelhoej, Sørensen, the president of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and a participant in this tournament, sat directly on the opposing bench. Toelhoej is Petra's doubles partner.

On the Korean bench, alongside Park Sang-jun, the Korea Racing Authority coach, was former Korea Table Tennis Association Vice President Chae Moon-seon (representative of Talidacum), famous as a passionate table tennis enthusiast. Many officials and enthusiasts gathered around the court, centering on Jo Jik-wi (Director), showing interest, with cheers and sighs exchanged moment by moment.

Hyeon (Chairman) is a 'Full House' achiever, having won the individual singles, doubles, mixed doubles, and team events at the World Championships. She also left a brilliant record on the international stage with gold medals in the 1986 Seoul Asian Games team event and the 1988 Seoul Olympics women's doubles. Even after retiring in 1994, she worked on the front lines as an administrator and coach, contributing to the expansion of table tennis, and this time she is listed as the executive committee chairperson and the first participant.

Hyeon (Chairman) is also well aware of the significance of this participation. Before the opening, in an interview, Hyeon (Chairman) revealed her competitive spirit, saying, "The World Masters is not a tournament to participate in to win first place, but a festival and gathering of table tennis players worldwide, but I still feel I must win first place."

This time, she is determined to go as far as she can. The women's 55-59 singles main draw, in which Hyeon (Chairman) will compete, will proceed as a 128-player tournament starting on the 12th. Although she passed the preliminaries undefeated, the path to the top is by no means easy.

In the same category, there are many strong Korean players, including Noh Mi-hwa, considered the strongest in Korean recreational table tennis, and Bang Jeong-hwa, the only Korean player to win a gold medal at the World Masters Table Tennis Championships. As Hyeon (Chairman) mentioned, the unique spin and match management of recreational table tennis could also be another variable.

A stage where neither the title of Olympic gold medalist nor the career of a world champion guarantees victory. The operator responsible for the tournament and a player who has picked up her racket again, Hyeon Jeong-hwa (Chairman)'s challenge at the World Masters now continues toward a real showdown. Meanwhile, the XIOM 2026 Gangneung World Masters Table Tennis Championships is also heading toward its climax.

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*This content was translated by AI.