The best American ping pong player took a walk in the Myongdong section the other day, through the narrow roads of the artisans' quarter. She had been tired of chopping at the tiny white ball and needed a change of speed.
"I was able to work in a bank in that area," she explained. " I saw the women walking on the sidewalk, holding hands, very Korean. I had been thinking I was among them, but today I do not hold hands with my friends. Yes, I'd have some sentimental feelings"
This is not the first trip back to her homeland for Insook Bhushan, who had been born in Seoul, married to a guy of Indian ancestry, now living in Aurora, Colo..
What makes this trip so unique is that Bhushan is participate in the very first Olympic contest for one of the world's most well-known sports. Darting and Pouncing . In the handsome gymnasium in the Seoul National University from the green hills south of the city, hundreds of athletes dart and glancing at eight distinct tables, surrounded by intricate clocks and scoreboards as Asian lovers surge from one end of the gym to another to watch the best matches, and ping pong table reviews.
In the advanced age of 36, Bhushan has divided her first two matches in a battle to advance in the first round. It will be practically impossible for the adopted country to match the way China, Japan and South Korea recruit young athletes with quick hands and sharp eyes.
"Nowadays they pick kids in elementary school, but in those days they did it in junior high," she recalled. " They would provide you a physical training test, to see who could run the fastest. If you are too tall, you will be awkward.
"But it is not a matter of this Oriental physique being suited for ping pong, or anything like this," she explained. " From the States, there are many different sports. If a large number of Americans played with tabletennis, we'd be good at it, also. They just train harder"
Following four years as one of the top Korean players in the early 1970's, she'd felt "burnt out" from the rigid training with best ping pong table. Known as Fire Bomb .
"Koreans are Utilised to following orders," she said another day. " You listen without raising questions. I was always odd. I always raised questions."
She giggled and put her hand to her mouth, that most charming of gestures by Asian women.
"You understand what my coach used to phone me? 'Fire Bomb.' He said I was not a regular man. I had been an extremist."
She probably would never have abandoned her homeland if her father hadn't worked in the American Embassy in Seoul and felt invited to try out residing in america. Back in 1974 he sent to his loved ones.
"I was working in the lender. My future was secure. I was 21 years old. I was of an age that I could make my own choice, but I could not bear the thought of being without my loved ones."
When attending Ohio State University, she met Shekhar Bhushan, an architectural student, in a table-tennis tournament. They have two boys, ages 7 and 3.
Virtually every day, Bhushan pushes 90 minutes each way into the federal center at Colorado Springs, where she works out contrary to promising young players when she needs to be sparring with adults at her own level.
"I do not wish to mention anything bad," she explained, "but there is hardly anybody to perform."
The American table-tennis federation recently hired a Chinese-born coach, Henan Ai Li, to work with Bhushan and 18-year-old Diane Gee.
"My present coach is my buddy, we can talk on a one-to-one basis," Bhushan said. " You may never be like that in Korea. You had to honor your coach and never ask questions."
Bhushan has competed in Pyongyang, North Korea, in which she had been treated with dual contempt as both an American and a South Korean. She has returned 3 times, seeing the house of her mother's brother. Many Korean individuals have friends or relatives residing in the United States and they like talking with her in Korean, which makes her feel at home.
=> Best Ping Pong Paddles Reviews Brands Under 100$ On Amazon
She would like to finish her last year for an accounting diploma and not commute three hours a day to Colorado Springs. But with her classic defensive chop, Bhushan can give trouble to any player in the world - and the best player in the USA might have trouble giving up that.
"I was able to work in a bank in that area," she explained. " I saw the women walking on the sidewalk, holding hands, very Korean. I had been thinking I was among them, but today I do not hold hands with my friends. Yes, I'd have some sentimental feelings"
This is not the first trip back to her homeland for Insook Bhushan, who had been born in Seoul, married to a guy of Indian ancestry, now living in Aurora, Colo..
What makes this trip so unique is that Bhushan is participate in the very first Olympic contest for one of the world's most well-known sports. Darting and Pouncing . In the handsome gymnasium in the Seoul National University from the green hills south of the city, hundreds of athletes dart and glancing at eight distinct tables, surrounded by intricate clocks and scoreboards as Asian lovers surge from one end of the gym to another to watch the best matches, and ping pong table reviews.
In the advanced age of 36, Bhushan has divided her first two matches in a battle to advance in the first round. It will be practically impossible for the adopted country to match the way China, Japan and South Korea recruit young athletes with quick hands and sharp eyes.
"Nowadays they pick kids in elementary school, but in those days they did it in junior high," she recalled. " They would provide you a physical training test, to see who could run the fastest. If you are too tall, you will be awkward.
"But it is not a matter of this Oriental physique being suited for ping pong, or anything like this," she explained. " From the States, there are many different sports. If a large number of Americans played with tabletennis, we'd be good at it, also. They just train harder"
Following four years as one of the top Korean players in the early 1970's, she'd felt "burnt out" from the rigid training with best ping pong table. Known as Fire Bomb .
"Koreans are Utilised to following orders," she said another day. " You listen without raising questions. I was always odd. I always raised questions."
She giggled and put her hand to her mouth, that most charming of gestures by Asian women.
"You understand what my coach used to phone me? 'Fire Bomb.' He said I was not a regular man. I had been an extremist."
She probably would never have abandoned her homeland if her father hadn't worked in the American Embassy in Seoul and felt invited to try out residing in america. Back in 1974 he sent to his loved ones.
"I was working in the lender. My future was secure. I was 21 years old. I was of an age that I could make my own choice, but I could not bear the thought of being without my loved ones."
When attending Ohio State University, she met Shekhar Bhushan, an architectural student, in a table-tennis tournament. They have two boys, ages 7 and 3.
Virtually every day, Bhushan pushes 90 minutes each way into the federal center at Colorado Springs, where she works out contrary to promising young players when she needs to be sparring with adults at her own level.
"I do not wish to mention anything bad," she explained, "but there is hardly anybody to perform."
The American table-tennis federation recently hired a Chinese-born coach, Henan Ai Li, to work with Bhushan and 18-year-old Diane Gee.
"My present coach is my buddy, we can talk on a one-to-one basis," Bhushan said. " You may never be like that in Korea. You had to honor your coach and never ask questions."
Bhushan has competed in Pyongyang, North Korea, in which she had been treated with dual contempt as both an American and a South Korean. She has returned 3 times, seeing the house of her mother's brother. Many Korean individuals have friends or relatives residing in the United States and they like talking with her in Korean, which makes her feel at home.
=> Best Ping Pong Paddles Reviews Brands Under 100$ On Amazon
She would like to finish her last year for an accounting diploma and not commute three hours a day to Colorado Springs. But with her classic defensive chop, Bhushan can give trouble to any player in the world - and the best player in the USA might have trouble giving up that.
Attachments
Last edited:
