China bag a double

September 30: World men's champions China made it a double triumph with their women by beating defending champions South Korea in the fin...

September 30: World men8217;s champions China made it a double triumph with their women by beating defending champions South Korea in the final 3-1 at the Asian Table Tennis Championships in this Japanese city today.

The Chinese, led by Atlanta Olympic dual gold medallist Liu Guoliang, gained sweet reenge over the Koreans for their 0-3 loss at the 1996 Championships in Singapore.

Oh Sang-Eun got off to a good start for South Korea taking the opening rubber 21-17, 21-19 against up-and-cming Ma Lin, the runner-up of the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this month.

But Liu stayed in Champion8217;s form. Liu, who lost to Kim Taek-Soo in the opener two years ago, made it a reverse story scoring a convincing 21-17, 21-17 victory over Kim to even the contest. Wang Liquin followed that with a 21-16, 21-15 win over Lee Chul-Seung and Ma completed the victory beating Kim 21-13, 21-18.

It was China8217;s 12th Asian title they won from 1974 to 1994 consecutively until South Korea wrested it two years ago. They were also thefinalists in the first Asian Championships in 1992 in Beijing.

China overwhelmed Indonesia and were stretched fully to beat Japan 3-2 on their way to the final, while South Korea defeated Hong Kong and Taiwan before setting up a re-match a aginst China.

For South Korea, it was only their second appearance in the men8217;s team finals. The bronze medal went to Taiwan, who dreated Japan 3-1.

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World champions China captured their third straight women8217;s team title and eighth overall when they breezed past North Korea 3-1.

It was a repeat performance for the Chinese women, who shot down the same opponents without losing a single game in the final of the world championships last year.

The Chinese missed world singles champion Deng Yaping, but they were strong enough with world No 3 Wang Nan scoring two wins, although world No 2 Li Ju fell victim to Kim Hyon-Hui.

8220;This is the biggest event before the Asian Games and it was a good chance for our young players to have experience. We hadn8217;t played North Koreasince the world championships, but both played really well,8217; said Chinese coach Cai Zhenhua.

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Wang coasted to a straightforward 21-9, 21-11 victory over Kim Hyang-Mi in the opener, while Kim pulled it even with a 21-19, 21-12 in the second rubber.

Zhang Yining put China 2-1 up with a 20-22, 21-10, 21-18 victory over Tu Jong-Sil and Wang put an end to North Korea8217;s excellent running beating Kim 21-14, 21-14 in the fourth rubber to clinch the championship.

8220;Although we won today, North Korea is a very strong team. I believe my players showed their technique 100 percent. Especially Wang Nan did her job petty well. She is apparently a better player than any North Korean players,8221; Cai added.

For North Korea, whose only team title came in 1976 at Pyongyang, it was their eighth appearance in the final of the biennial event. The bronze medal went to Hong Kong, the 1992 champions, who beat South Korea 3-1.