China scoops up all Olympic table tennis golds
China's women's team completed the country's clean-sweep of table tennis gold medals at the Paris Olympics, after defeating Japan 3-0 in the final on Saturday. Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng and Wang Manyu outclassed a fighting Japanese team of Hina Hayata, Miwa Harimoto and Miu Hirano for China's fifth gold in the sport, after the nation had earlier won both the men's and women's singles, the men's team as well as mixed doubles. In the first match of the women's team final, Chen and Wang teamed up in the doubles against Hayata and Harimoto. The Chinese pair came back from two one-game deficits to force a deciding fifth game.  Japan raced to a 9-5 lead in the pivotal game, before Chen and Wang went on a 7-1 spurt to win 12-10 and take the first match.   Hirano then took on Sun in the second match, as she raced to a 7-1 start to open the matchup. However, the world number one Chinese player came roaring back to win the first game 13-11. Sun then took the next two games, 11-6, 11-6, for a 2-0 lead overall. With their backs against the wall, Japan's Harimoto put up a fight in the third match by taking the first game against Wang, 14-12. But the Chinese player stormed back to win the next three games, 12-10, 11-7, 11-6 to bring home the gold. After the game, all three Chinese players said Japan proved to be difficult opponents, noting the Japanese were able to lead twice in the opening doubles match. Sun said for her, it was important to come from behind and take the first singles game, adding it was a total team effort for the country to take home all Olympic table tennis golds. "I feel very happy for us to take home all five gold medals. I very much thank our motherland, our team, there are many supportive forces behind us," she told reporters from Hong Kong. "Actually today, it wasn't just the three of us competing, the whole Chinese table tennis team were behind us, giving us support." Since the introduction of the women's team category in 2008, China has won all five of the event's gold medals._____________________________
Last updated: 2024-08-11 HKT 00:52 