BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- South Korea steamrolled Austria 3-1 Monday to capture the men's team bronze medal at the table tennis touranment of the Beijing Olympic Games.

    South Korea pitted 15th-ranked Oh Sang Eun, Ryu Seung Min and Yoon Jae Young against Austrian 2003 world champion Werner Schlager, Robert Gardos and former Chinese player Chen Weixing.

    Oh showed a scintillating form in his game against Schlager and rounded off a quick 3-1 victory.

    Ryu, using his powerful forehand loops, snatched a 1-0 lead against Gardos in the begining of the second game. But Gardos came back strong to complete a 3-1 win, pulling one back for Austria.

    The doubles between Oh/Yoon and Gardos/Chen turned back in South Korea's favor as Oh/Yoon overcame the Austrian duo 3-0.

    The defense of 31st-seeded chopper Chen Weixing went into pieces under Ryu's waves of attacks, losing 3-0, with Austria's medal dream shattered.

    South Korea crushed Hong Kong of China to qualify for a bronze playoff while Austria thrashed Japan for the other ticket.

    On Sunday, the equally formidable South Korean women won the team bronze after finishing off a tenacious Japan.

    The Chinese women fended off a strong challenge from Singapore to clinch the team title, the country's 17th table tennis gold since the sport was introduced at the Olympic Games in 1988.

    The table tennis tournament, held in the 8,000-seat stadium in Peking University, will end on Aug. 23.