August 09, (THEWILL) – Ma Long, the 35-year-old table tennis legend, wrote his name further into Olympic history by earning his sixth gold medal during the Paris Olympics. His achievements surpassed those of divers Wu Minxia and Chen Ruolin, and gymnast Zou Kai, making him the most decorated Chinese athlete in Olympic history.
Despite the close competition against Sweden, China emerged victorious with a score of 3-0, showcasing their dominance in the sport. It is a testament to Ma’s illustrious career, which continues to shine brightly, with his latest success adding to his already impressive tally of 14 world titles and his role as China’s male flag-bearer at the opening ceremony.
However, his participation in the singles event was controversially omitted, allowing Fan Zhendong to claim gold instead. Ma Long’s contribution to the team event, despite the absence of his usual singles glory, is another pointer to his enduring impact on the sport.
In the opening match of the final, Ma partnered with Wang Chuqin, overcoming initial setbacks including a broken racket due to a photographer’s mishap. They managed to finish with a 6-1 lead in the first game, only to face a fierce comeback from Anton Kallberg and Kristian Karlsson, resulting in a nail-biting 11-8 loss. Undeterred, Ma and Wang Chuqin fought back, clinching victory in the subsequent games, with Ma delivering the decisive blow in the fifth game.
China’s reign as the undisputed champions of table tennis continued in Paris. Team China won victories in the mixed doubles, women’s singles, men’s singles, and now the men’s team event. Their performance in Paris brought their total Olympic gold medal count to 32 out of 37 available since table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1988. Only South Korea, Japan, and Sweden have managed to break through China’s dominance, picking up a single gold medal each.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
