Samsung Life Insurance table tennis team said it held a retirement ceremony for 'eldest brother' Lee Sang-su (35·Samsung Life Insurance·world ranking 19) at the Samsung Training Center (STC) on the 5th.
Teammates, coaching staff and team officials attended the ceremony to share his final moments after many years of dedication to the team.
Lee Sang-su, who joined Samsung Life Insurance in 2009, was a symbolic figure who stayed with a single team for 17 years. With fierce determination, a team-first spirit and quiet leadership, he earned the deep trust of teammates and fans and gained the nickname 'the eldest brother of the table tennis world.'
He was also a leading star representing Korean table tennis in the 2010s. After first wearing the taegeuk mark in 2009, he recorded 652 wins and 372 losses in ITTF-sanctioned events. He led major achievements for Korean table tennis, including one silver and seven bronze medals at the world championships and one silver and one bronze at the Asian Games.
At the recent national championships he secured an automatic national team selection this year by winning the men's singles title, but he showed class by saying he would give up his spot to younger players and relinquishing the taegeuk mark.
A Samsung Life Insurance official said, "Player Lee Sang-su was the very history of Samsung Life Insurance," and added, "We are deeply grateful for his contributions and dedication. We look forward to his great achievements in his new role."
With the retirement ceremony concluded, Lee Sang-su officially ends his playing career and will take a new path as a coach for the Samsung Life Insurance women's table tennis team. He is expected to contribute to the team's development based on his long field experience and game management skills.
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