Korean table tennis star Lim Jong-hoon has expressed his ambition to win, saying that his performance at the Los Angeles Olympics is "highly anticipated."

Lim Jong-hoon (28 years old, Korea Exchange), a cornerstone of the South Korean men's table tennis team, is regarded as the top partner in doubles events. He achieved a mixed doubles bronze medal at the Paris Olympics last year with Shin Yu-bin (21 years old, Korean Air) and also claimed a bronze medal in the singles category at the Doha World Table Tennis Championships in May this year, again partnering with Shin Yu-bin.

The powerful mixed doubles pair Lim Jong-hoon (left) and Shin Yu-bin

After winning the bronze medal at the World Championships, Lim Jong-hoon stated, "Next time, we can play the national anthem," expressing his determination to reach the top of the podium. According to South Korean media, in the mixed doubles semifinals at the Doha World Championships, Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin lost 0-3 to the Chinese duo Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, which should have been a satisfactory finish with a shared third-place bronze medal, but they are determined to break down barriers.

The Lim Jong-hoon/Shin Yu-bin pair currently ranks fifth in the ITTF mixed doubles world rankings. The Chinese pairs Lin Shidong/Kwai Man and Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha hold the top two positions, while Hong Kong's Huang Zhen Ting/Du Kaiqin and Japan's Matsushima Hikaru/Zhang Ben Mei He rank third and fourth, respectively. The Lim Jong-hoon/Shin Yu-bin duo previously held the fourth position in the world rankings but dropped to fifth after being surpassed by the Japanese pair.

The 2025 Doha World Table Tennis Championships bronze medalists Lim Jong-hoon/Shin Yu-bin, alongside the gold medal-winning Chinese pair Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha on the left

In men's doubles, Lim Jong-hoon also demonstrated great synergy with An Jaehyun (26 years old), who is also from the Korea Exchange. The Lim Jong-hoon/An Jaehyun pair won the championship at the WTT Star Challenge in Chennai this March, aiming to secure a medal at the World Championships, but they were eliminated in the round of 32 by an Egyptian pair, missing out on the men's doubles round of 16.

The Lim Jong-hoon/An Jaehyun men's doubles pair holds the highest world ranking among South Korean players at 11th place. When An Jaehyun was unable to participate in the individual event, Lim Jong-hoon teamed up with Woo Jeong-seong (19 years old) at last week's WTT Regular Challenge in Skopje, winning the men's doubles championship trophy. The head coach of the Korea Exchange, Yoo Nam-kyu, praised him, saying, "Lim Jong-hoon is undoubtedly the strongest doubles partner. When collaborating with the aggressive An Jaehyun, he acts as a support, and when partnering with Woo Jeong-seong, who plays the role of a game creator, he showcases his own aggressiveness."

Lim Jong-hoon (left) and An Jaehyun participating in the men's doubles at the 2025 Doha World Table Tennis Championships

Lim Jong-hoon's role in the 2028 Los Angeles (LA) Olympics, which will be held three years later, has become even more significant. Last year's Paris Olympics featured five events in table tennis: men's and women's singles, men's and women's team events, and mixed doubles. However, the Los Angeles Olympics will eliminate the men's and women's team events while restoring men's and women's doubles and introducing a new mixed team event, totaling six events. South Korean media believe that Lim Jong-hoon has the potential to compete for medals in mixed doubles with Shin Yu-bin and in men's doubles with An Jaehyun. Particularly, the new mixed team event will also include mixed doubles, adding more pressure on Lim Jong-hoon.

On June 21, Beijing time, Lim Jong-hoon reached the finals in both mixed doubles with Shin Yu-bin and men's doubles with An Jaehyun at the WTT Star Challenge held in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Lim Jong-hoon partnered with Woo Jeong-seong (19 years old) at the 2025 WTT Regular Challenge in Skopje and won the men's doubles championship.

Coach Yoo Nam-kyu stated, "Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin won a mixed doubles bronze medal at the Olympics and World Championships, and Lim Jong-hoon has partnered with An Jaehyun in men's doubles for over three years. If he participates in the Los Angeles Olympics, Lim Jong-hoon is expected to play a central role in South Korea's medal contention."