1st December, Hong Kong, China: Korea sealed their spot in the Men's Trios semi-finals of the HKGX 2025 IBF World Championships after finishing top of Group A in the Round 2 Matchplay while Denmark, Australia and Sweden had to battle for their place in two thrilling one-game tie-breakers.

The first Korean trio of Ji Geun, Kim Jun Yung and Baek Seung Min won five matches and a draw in the 7-game Round 2 Matchplay to become the only trio to confirm their spot in the semi-finals.

Sweden's James Blomberg, Joachim Karlsson Rosen, and Pontus Andersson had a tougher battle in the one-game Group A tie-breaker against the second Malaysian trio of Muhammad Danial Abu Samah, Izz Naqiuddin Putera and Muhammad Hazim and France's Maxime Dubios, Valentin Saulnier and Mike Bartaire after totaling 12 points each.

Sweden won the tie with 243 against Malaysia's 209 and France's 168 to advance to the semi-finals as fourth seed. There was a three-way tie in Group B when Danmark's Dan A. Ostergard, Niclas Sorensen and Nicolas Carter, Australia's Julian Dinham, Luke Doyle and Blake Walsh and Finland's Tomas Kayhko, Luukas Vaananen and Niko Oksanen amassed 15 points each from five wins.

Denmark (212) and Australia (227) sealed their spots in the semi-finals as second and third seeds while Finland (175) crashed out. In the earlier 7-games qualifying round, the first Korean trio topped Squad 1 and overall standings with 1647.

Finland lead Squad 2 to finished second in the overall standings in second with 1627. Denmark, who was second to the Koreans, ended in third overall with 1564. Sweden, who made the cut for the Round 2 Matchplay in 16th position with 1473.

Macao and Hong Kong both missed the cut for Round 2 by one pin after finishing joint-17th with 1472. The Men's Trios semi-finals will be held on December 5 at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wancai, Kowloon. The women will contest their Trios event tomorrow and the top 16 trios will advance to Round 2 Matchplay in which the top 2 in each group will proceed to the semi-finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Hong Kong, China.

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