Following the appearance of Ahn Se-young in women’s singles in Korean badminton, attention is being paid to her recovery as a powerhouse in doubles. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, it is expected that two groups will be able to participate, including women’s doubles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles.
The quarterfinal match against Taiwan at the 2023 World Mixed Team Badminton Championships (Sudirman Cup) held at the Olympic Sports Center in Suzhou, China on the 19th was a good opportunity to confirm this.
In the fourth match, men’s doubles, Korea teamed up with Jeong Na-eun in the mixed doubles group in the group stage of this tournament, and Kim Won-ho, who swept the first game of the 1st to 3rd games, paired with Na Seong-seung. Kim Won-ho is currently ranked 9th in the men’s doubles world rankings with Choi Sol-gyu, and Na Seong-seung is ranked 50th with Jin Yong. After seeing the potential of Kim Won-ho and Na Seong-seung, national team coach Kim Hak-gyun and coach Han Dong-seong first introduced this combination at the Asian Mixed Team Championships held in February. They managed to win all the way up to the finals.
The Kim Won-ho-Na Seong-seung card, which was brought out again in this tournament, met the expectations of the coaching staff to the fullest by defeating the Taiwanese group, in which Tokyo Olympics men’s doubles gold medalist Li Yang and newcomer Ye Hong-wei teamed up (withdrawal in the 2nd set). After the game, Na Seong-seung said, “I never thought I would lose.”
Kim Won-ho and Na Seong-seung, who are showing off formidable destructive power, are, however, in the current situation, nothing but a combination developed to focus on team battles. Currently ranked 803rd in the world, there is not enough time to accumulate points to aim for an Olympic quota in men’s doubles. In men’s doubles, Seo Seung-jae and Kang Min-hyuk are ranked 17th in addition to Kim Won-ho and Choi Sol-kyu. However, the appearance of Kim Won-ho and Na Sung-seung is expected to bring synergy to other combinations as well.
In the case of badminton, in the case of singles, only one player needs to be in the top 34 to qualify for the Olympics, but for two players to compete, both players must be in the top 16. For doubles, both groups must be ranked in the top 8 in order to compete.토스카지노
Korean badminton has usually competed in two pairs in all doubles events, including women’s doubles, which faced off in the bronze medal match at the 2022 Tokyo Olympics. Women’s doubles continued the tradition until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but mixed doubles was reduced to one group from the 2012 London Olympics, and men’s doubles were also able to participate in only one group at the Tokyo Olympics.
Recently, in Korean badminton, Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yoo-jeong are ranked 5th in the world and Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun are 9th in mixed doubles. If the momentum continues, it is expected that it will be possible to participate in the Paris Olympics together. In women’s doubles, Baek Hana-Lee So-hee, who have been breathing since the second half of last year, are ranked 5th in the world, Jung Na-eun-Kim Hye-jeong is 6th, and Kim So-young-Kong Hee-yong is 8th.
Coach Han Dong-seong said, “At the Paris Olympics, my goal is to have two groups participate in all doubles events,” and “I can do it.”