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Lars Hamer

China has had such a stranglehold on table tennis for decades that other countries, in an attempt to get their foot in the door, have been scouring the country’s diaspora to bolster their delegations and boost their chances at Olympic gold.
At this year’s Paris Olympics, Germany, Australia, Canada, France, the United States, Slovakia, Fiji, South Korea, Monaco, Portugal and even Hong Kong have taken players either born on the mainland or are of Chinese descent.
Luxembourg and Chile both went a step further by taking two Chinese “aunties” to this year’s Games.
Ni Xialian, 61, won the hearts of table tennis fans when she played against world No 1, China’s Sun Yingsha, on Wednesday.

At 61, Ni was one of the oldest athletes competing in what is her sixth Olympics, representing Luxembourg, to which she moved in the late 1980s after winning two world championship gold medals for China.
“Three years ago, after Tokyo, I thought I could retire,” Ni said. “But our federation of the country, they love to have me.”
Zeng Zhiying, 58, who used to play with Ni, retired from professional table tennis almost three decades ago before moving to Chile, where she took up the sport again during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“In 2022 when I played, I didn’t have any other dreams or ambitions,” Zeng said. “I just wanted to pick up a bat, exercise and play at our club, getting to know more people.”
At the other end of the spectrum is the USA’s women’s table tennis stars.
With a combined age of 69, Amy Wang, Lily Zhang and Rachel Sung lost 3-2 to Germany in their first women’s team match on Tuesday.

Before the Games, the trio gave an interview in Mandarin in which they discussed their love for world No 1, Ma Long.
Germany’s Shan Xiaona, 41, who is a Chinese-born naturalised athlete, also featured in that game against the USA, losing 3-1 to Wang.
At Rio 2016, Shan and Han Ying – who was also born in China – led Germany to silver in the team event.
Hong Kong’s Zhu Chengzhu, who won bronze at the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan this year, was born in Houyangzhu, Tiantai County in Zhejiang and started playing when she was around seven years old. She moved to Hong Kong in 2015.

Heading into the Paris Olympics, Chinese athletes had won 32 of the 37 gold medals and 60 of the 115 total medals since the sport was introduced to the Summer Olympics in 1988.
In Paris, China have swept both gold and silver in women’s singles and both golds in the men’s and mixed doubles.
There are many theories as to why China has dominated the sport, from training techniques to talent acquisition. But China is unique in the number of people that play the sport and the access they have to it.
A reported 10 million people in China play the national sport competitively and 300 million on occasion. To accommodate those huge numbers, it is reported that there is an average of one table tennis table for every seven people.


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Paris Olympics: from youth to ‘aunties’, Chinese diaspora features strongly in table tennis

The USA’s Amy Wang (right) returns the ball to Germany’s Shan Xiaona as teammate Rachel Sung (centre) looks on in the Germans’ 3-2 win in their round of 16 match. Photo: AFP

Ni Xialian won world titles with China and now plays for Luxembourg after migrating in the 1980s. Photo: Xinhua

Zhiying Zeng retired almost 30 years ago before moving to Chile, where she took up the sport again. Photo: AP

Zhu Chengzhu was born in China and moved to Hong Kong, whom she plays for, in 2015. Photo: AFP

Paris Olympics: Fan Zhendong praised on Chinese social after gold seals career grand slam

China’s Fan Zhendong celebrates after winning the men’s table tennis singles gold medal match against Sweden’s Truls Moregard. Photo: AFP

Supporters China’s Fan Zhendong cheer during the gold medal ceremony. Photo: AP

Paris Olympics: Ma Long fans call for return of table tennis legend after No 1’s exit

China’s world No 3 Ma Long is the defending champion of the men’s singles but will play only in the team event. Photo: Xinhua

Ma Long (centre) sits in the crowd to watch the mixed table tennis doubles gold medal match in Paris. Photo: AFP

Ma Long was one of China’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese social media in love with 61-year-old ‘Auntie Ni’s’ fun spirit at Paris Olympics

The fun attitude of 61-year-old Ni Xialian has endeared herself to audiences in Paris and online at the Olympics. Photo: Xinhua

Fan Zhendong: China’s persistent table tennis sensation completes grand slam in Paris

Fan Zhendong celebrates after winning a gold medal, which saw him complete a grand slam in table tennis. Photo: Xinhua

A young Fan Zhendong celebrates after beating Liam Pitchford to win the ITTF Qatar Open in Doha in 2020. Photo: Xinhua

China’s Fan Zhendong celebrates beating Taiwan’s Lin Yun-ju to reach the final at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Kyodo

Fan Zhendong conquered in Paris to add the only major piece of silverware missing from his collection. Photo: Xinhua

Ma Long beat Fan Zhendong to win men’s singles Olympic gold in 2021. Photo: AFP

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The squad was ranked bottom among 16 teams. 

Sport

Paris Olympics 2024

The Buzz

Table Tennis

More than 10 countries in Paris have players either born in China or are of Chinese descent, including two with a Chinese ‘auntie’ each


More than 10 countries in Paris have players either born in China or are of Chinese descent, including two with a Chinese ‘auntie’ in their teams.


ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation)

Chinese overseas

Tokyo