Who won the first Olympic men’s singles table tennis gold medal?

Yoo Nam-kyu won the first Olympic men’s singles table tennis gold medal at Seoul 1988.

Representing South Korea, Yoo defeated Sweden’s Jan-Ove Waldner in the final. His victory made him the first Olympic champion in the men’s singles event after table tennis entered the official medal program.

Yoo was a major figure in South Korean table tennis during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He also won Olympic doubles gold at Seoul 1988 with Kim Ki-taik, giving him two gold medals at his home Games.

The result is sometimes confused with the first Olympic table tennis medals generally. Chen Jing won the women’s singles title at the same Olympics, and Yoo’s doubles victory was a separate event. The Seoul Games were the sport’s official Olympic debut.