“My goal for this tournament is to win one qualification,” says Korean player from New Zealand
New Zealand's Timothy Choi (16, Korean name Choi Jun-hyuk) is the only athlete of Korean descent among the 40 men's and women's teams competing in the tournament. Born in September 2007, Choi is still just 16 years old, but he was selected to compete on home soil. Choi arrived in Busan via Gimhae International Airport with his father, Choi Yoon-cheol, on the morning of the 14th, two days before the tournament opened. The stadium was still unfamiliar to them.
Choi was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. He started playing table tennis at the age of eight at a facility near his home, but his talent caught his eye and he began to pursue the sport in earnest. Impressively, his father, Choi Yoon-cheol, was a founding member of the table tennis club FIRST at Hannam University in Daejeon. It's not hard to imagine that Mr. Choi, who wasn't an elite player himself but was active enough in the sport to found the club, would have been a huge supporter of his son's game.
In fact, Choi Yoon-cheol has done a lot to support his son's development. He was an avid player in college and has strong ties to the elite players on the Hannam University table tennis team. Since Jun Hyuk started playing table tennis in 2002, Yoon Chul has spent almost every winter break (summer in New Zealand) traveling with his son to the Daejeon Dongdaemun Middle and High School gym for about three weeks of training. Daejeon Dongdaemun Middle and High School is one of the strongest junior teams in Korea, led by Hannam University alumnus Oh Shin Kwon. Training with such a talented team not only improved his skills, but also boosted his motivation as a player. Back home in New Zealand, Choi Jun-hyuk's training provided him with the strength to continue playing table tennis.
Choi's progress has been steep. By the time he was 10 years old in 2018, he was already representing the U13 Hopefuls. In 2019, he won both the U13 and U15 championships, and from 2020 to 2022, he represented New Zealand Cadet at the national level. During this time, Choi accumulated numerous victories between kadet and junior (U19). His accomplishments are evident in his national ranking in 2023. He is ranked No. 1 in U17, No. 1 in U19, No. 1 in U21, and No. 5 overall in the open rankings for men, including seniors. New Zealand's ranking system is based on accumulating points, and Choi's ranking in the open rankings, where retired players remain at the top due to their long accumulated points, is close to his actual number one ranking.
Choi, who also competed at the ITTF Oceania Youth & Senior Championships last year, was naturally selected to represent his country at the World Championships. He came to Busan with his teammates. Choi is excited to be representing New Zealand at this year's tournament, and he says he's excited beyond his years. Although he was born and raised in New Zealand, he traveled back and forth to Korea with his dad, so his Korean pronunciation was clear and crisp. “It's my first time playing in such a big tournament, so I'm honored. The stadium is beautifully built, which makes me even more nervous, but I'll try to learn as much as I can.”
The New Zealand men's team was drawn into Pool 3 at the group draw last month. This is the same group that the Korean team is in. Choi said it would be a “dream” matchup against the Korean table tennis seniors, who are the favorites. “I never imagined that I would be playing against my brothers in a world championship match, and I honestly don't have the confidence to win, but I'm not going to back down. It will be hard to win, but if I play hard, I'll learn something from them, and they can teach me a lot.”
New Zealand isn't exactly a table tennis powerhouse. The sport is not as popular as it is in South Korea. Even at the World Championships, it would have been difficult to meet them because of the different divisions. The chance to play Korea was made possible by the change to the finals system at the World Championships. The ITTF increased the number of places available in Oceania, and New Zealand was selected to represent the continent alongside Australia. As the underdogs, Choi also has a responsibility.
“New Zealand's goal for this tournament is to win one match in the qualifiers. We've been analyzing and preparing for the Chileans, who are at a similar level to us. If we win, we can use the momentum to challenge Poland. It won't be easy, but I hope to qualify in third place. Even if we don't qualify, I think this tournament will be a very important step for the development of table tennis in New Zealand, having played against world-class players.”
Dad Yoon Chul Choi, who traveled to Busan with his son, agrees. Given the strength of the New Zealand team, it will be difficult for them to win, but for Choi, who is still young and has unlimited potential, the immediate result is not the most important thing. “Win or lose, I want this tournament to be a meaningful inspiration for the New Zealand players,” says his father. His son is at the forefront of that. In any case, it is clear that this tournament will have a significant impact on Choi's future in table tennis.
Finally, we asked Choi about his dreams as a player, and he answered with another confident answer. “I would like to play in the European League after I have built up my best skills through steady practice,” his father, Choi Yoon-cheol, chimed in with a smile. “Maybe I'll get a chance to play for Korea's unemployment team.” 16-year-old Jun Hyuk Choi (Timothy Choi) will be making his debut for the New Zealand men's national team. The match between New Zealand and South Korea will take place at 8 p.m. on Sunday at the Bexco Special Stadium's Choppy Hall, following the opening ceremony.
안전놀이터: https://www.mttotosite.com/