Insook Bhushan

Born in Korea, Insook Bhushan competed for the USA in table tennis at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. She competed for Korea at the 1971 World Championships, winning a bronze medal in the team event, and was a non-playing captain for Korea at the 1973 Worlds. Bhusan, then Insook Na, emigrated to the United States in 1974 with her family. In 1975 she married architect Shekhar Bhushan, and became a US citizen in 1980. Bhushan graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver and later worked as an accountant for the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

Bhushan won the US singles title 11 times (1977-78, 1981-83, 1985-89, 1991), was also doubles champion 11 times – 1976-77, 1981, 1983, 1985-91, all with Diana Gee – and was an 8-time mixed doubles champion (1976-78, 1981-83, 1988-89). Her greatest international tournament came at the 1983 Pan American Games, when she won the singles, doubles (with Gee), mixed doubles (with Sean O’Neill), and team event. Bhushan won gold at the Pan Ams in 1987 and 1991 in singles and team, and won the mixed doubles again in 1987 (with Khoa Nguyen). In all, she won nine gold medals and one silver medal at the Pan American Games, the silver coming in 1991 women’s doubles with Gee.