▲ Choi Gang-geon
Choi Gang-geon (Jangheung Middle School) has clinched the under-15 (U-15) boys' singles title at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Youth Contender Gangneung 2026 after defeating strong competitors from Taiwan in succession.
Choi defeated Taiwan's Fan Yi-li 3-1 (6-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-6) in the men's U-15 singles final held yesterday at the Gangneung Arena.
Advancing to the final, Choi consecutively overcame formidable Taiwanese players in the latter stages of the tournament, including Chen Yu-chao in the round of 16 and Chen Yu-chen in the quarterfinals.
Choi, a third-year middle school student who plays as a left-handed shakehand attacker, is a rising prospect showing steep growth this year.
"I had beaten (Fan Yi-li) before, so I wasn't too nervous," Choi said. "I tried to play just like I did when I won against him previously."
In the boys' U-11 singles, South Korea's Kang Si-hyuk (Se-ah Academy) also claimed the title by defeating Choi Seung-yeon (Daejeon Dongmun Elementary School) 3-0.
During the four-day competition that ran from September 14, South Korea captured titles in 2 out of the total 12 events.
The WTT Youth Star Contender Gangneung 2026 will follow at the same venue from September 18 to 20.
Top South Korean rising prospects such as Lee Seung-soo (Daejeon Dongsan Middle School) and Ma Young-min (Jeonggok Middle School) are set to join the competition in the Star Contender event.
(Photo courtesy of Korea Table Tennis Association, Yonhap News)
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