▲ Lee Won-jeong, competing in the 42nd Korea Table Tennis Federation Tournament (Source: CWNU Waagle)

CWNU Table Tennis Team clinched victory at the '42nd Korea Table Tennis Federation Tournament,' held at the Uirimji multipurpose gymnasium in Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk- do, from April 6th to 10th. This prestigious event, organized by the Korea University Table Tennis Federation and hosted by the Jecheon City Table Tennis Association, has been held annually since 2021. With participation from 13 men's teams and 14 women's teams, totaling over 300 players representing various university table tennis teams, the competition was fierce. Matches included team events for both men and women, as well as individual singles, individual doubles, and mixed doubles events across four categories. Furthermore, this tournament held greater significance as a qualifying event for selecting representatives for the ‘Korea-Japan University Table Tennis Championships.’

In the individual singles matches, a group tournament format was used where the top two teams advanced to the main event. Lee Won- jeong, a freshman of the CWNU Table Tennis Team, emerged as a new ace for CWNU by demonstrating impressive table tennis skills, securing a victory. In the final, Lee Won- jeong defeated Lee Ho- yeol, a key player from Hannam University, with a score of 3- 1, clinching the championship title. Lee Won- jeong is considered a promising talent from Gyeongsangnam- do Province, and is expected to further elevate the status of our university's table tennis team in the future. The team events followed a men's and women's tournament format, consisting of a total of five matches, including four individual singles and one doubles match. CWNU Table Tennis Team advanced to the main event by defeating Andong National University 3- 2 and Hoseo University 3- 0 in the qualifiers. In the semi- finals, they faced off against Kangwon National University, a strong contender for the championship, and secured a 3- 0 victory to advance to the final.

In the first match of the finals was the individual doubles event, followed by three singles individual matches, making a total of four sets. In the individual doubles match, CWNU sophomore Shin Seok- hyun and freshmen Lee Won- jeong competed, but unfortunately lost 3- 0 to Kunsan University's Kwon Kang- min and Nam Geon- woo. However, in the second individual singles match, Lee Won- jeong of CWNU defeated Kunsan University's Kwon Kang- min 3- 2, setting a positive momentum. The third individual singles match also continued the good streak for CWNU, with Kim Jin- taek, a junior at CWNU, defeating Kunsan University's Kang Yoo- bin 3- 0. In the final match, Park Tae- hong, a senior at CWNU defeated Kunsan University's Nam Geon- woo 3- 0, securing victory for the team.

CWNU Table Tennis Team has been focusing on the achievements of female players, especially Park Ji- eun, who has consistently ranked at the top of the women's university division. However, in this tournament, male players displayed outstanding performances. CWNU Table Tennis Team Director Oh Yoon- kyung, expressed her joy at winning the first tournament of the season, stating, "It's commendable how male players, who have been overshadowed by the achievements of female players under challenging conditions, have proven their worth and been rewarded for their efforts. I commend their hard work so far.”

CWNU Table Tennis Team achieved remarkable results at the '42nd Korea Table Tennis Federation Tournament,' the first tournament of the year. The team attended the '2024 CWNU Competition Participation Ceremony' on the 24^th of April, expressing their determination to elevate the university's status and attract outstanding new recruits. Building on this success, the team is intensifying its preparations for future competitions. The Campus Journal looks forward to more outstanding performances from the table tennis team and appreciates the continued support and interest from fellow students.

By Shin Min-joo, reporter  pinky3167@naver.com

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