China’s Women Resist the Pressure and Win Gold

Under the eyes of China’s President HU Jintao and IOC President Jacques ROGGE, the Chinese women’s team overcame Singapore in the final of the Women’s Team event. It was the first table tennis team event at Olympic Games. The Chinese serial winner took another gold medal but the incredible frame in the venue at Peking University Gymnasium made this title something special.

Rematch from Guangzhou Underlines China’s Dominance
The squad from coach SHI Zhihao played in the final against Singapore. It was the rematch of the final at the Evergrande World Table Tennis Championships staged in Guangzhou, China on 1st March 2008.

The Chinese team consisting of ZHANG Yining, world number one, GUO Yue (no. 2) and WANG Nan (no. 5) prevailed sovereign against LI Jia Wei (no. 6), WANG Yue Gu (no. 7), FENG Tianwei (no. 9).

WANG Nan as well as ZHANG Yining started nervously and lost the first games of their matches against FENG Tianwei and LI Jia Wei respectively. Both, WANG and ZHANG were able to change the gear and FENG’s as well as LI’s resistance was then useless.

An Impressive Chinese Generation
The third point for China and the final decision in favour of the hosts made ZHANG Yining and GUO Yue in the doubles. For the 26 year old ZHANG Yining it is already the third gold medal at her second Olympic participation. Never in her life so far has she contested an Olympic event without winning gold.

WANG Nan’s Olympic collection newly consists of four gold medals; therewith she equalises China’s legend DENG Yaping. GUO Yue is only twenty years of age. However, her record is impressive. She is reigning world singles and world team champion and now also Olympic team champion.

Statements about the Final
LIU Guodong, Coach Singapore:
On winning the silver medal:“Both China and Singapore are winners. For us to win silver is as difficult as it is for China to win gold. It’s impossible to beat China. We prepared for the other teams. We met many opponents that we did not want to meet, but we managed to win against them all.”

LI Jia Wei, Singapore:“I am very excited to win the silver medal as it is my way of repaying Singapore for having confidence in me and grooming me all these years. I’m really happy and feel like crying, but I just could not get any tears to roll.”

On the match results:“I am very satisfied. After all, China is the strongest team. We have defeated the other teams, and have completed our mission here.”

SHI Zhihao, Coach China:
On the team’s performance:
“I am very excited for my team’s win today. This is the first time for China to win the Olympic Women’s table tennis team gold medal. This is a very significant day for China. Today, my players performed excellently.”

WANG Nan, China:
On the Chinese Women’s team’s win:
“As table tennis is China’s national sport, everyone expects China to win gold. I was very nervous but as soon as I got involved in the match, I lost all my nervousness.”