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Paris Olympics: Mysterious and unconventional, North Korean runner-up duo baffle rivals

By staying under the radar and participating in few international competitions, Ri and Kim have made it difficult for opponents to study and prepare for them

From qualifications to their second-place finish at the Paris Olympics, North Korea's Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong have emerged as the dark horse, bringing home a silver medal for a country that missed the past two Games.

The two first-time Olympians defeated the second, eighth, and fourth seeds over the past three days before coming up short against the world number one duo, China's Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, in the mixed doubles final with a score of 4-2 on Tuesday.

By staying under the radar and participating in few international competitions, Ri and Kim have made it difficult for opponents to study and prepare for them. Many attribute their success to top-notch skills and Kim’s unconventional choice of rubber on her paddle.

After long avoiding media interviews, the duo finally answered a few questions briefly at the press conference for medallists. They said they have been in contact with the Chinese team and that they train in their own country. Despite few words to share with the world, their ambition remains evident.

"We prepared a lot for the Olympics. We had a good performance but there are some regrets," said Kim. "We’ll do better next time to win the gold."

The diminutive Kim uses a less common bat among professional athletes. The backside of her paddle is fitted with long pimpled rubber, which caught many top players off guard.

"Her serve gave me a lot of trouble. Some of them looked easy, but I missed them. The rubber she uses is very unusual among female players and almost nonexistent among male players," said Swedish player Kristian Karlsson, who lost to the pair in the quarter-finals.

Little information is available about Kim Kum Yong, 22, and Ri Jong Sik, 24. As the lowest-ranked of 16 teams in the competition, they first knocked out defending Olympic champions Japan.

Relentless and resilient, they beat Hong Kong's Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem to reach the final in a hard-fought match that ended with a score of 4-3. In a rare display of affection, the two players jumped and hugged each other following their victory in the hour-long battle.

The fast pace of mixed doubles, which requires players to constantly change and move positions, makes any adjustment during the games harder.

"It brings a significant change in rhythm and spin. In singles, I can adjust on my own, but in doubles, there are positioning issues," said Hong Kong's Wong.

North Korea missed the Tokyo Olympics, citing Covid-19 concerns. It was then suspended by the International Olympic Committee from the Beijing Winter Olympics due to their absence from Tokyo.

Even Team China took notice and sought last-minute practice help before the final from 61-year-old former Chinese player Ni Xialian, who now represents Luxembourg and plays a similar style as Kim.

"This is the first time we play against each other," said Sun Yingsha. "The North Korean team is always very determined and has the strongest fighting spirit."