Chinese women win table tennis team gold

China's coach Li Sun, Ding Ning, coach Shi Zhihao, Guo Yue and Li Xiaoxia celebrate winning gold on the podium at the medal ceremony of the women's team table tennis tournament at the ExCel venue during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 7, 2012. [Pohto / Agencies]

LONDON - China clinched the women's Olympic team table tennis gold medal here Tuesday, after fighting off a strong challenge from Japan to win the final 3-0.

It was the 23rd gold medal that China won at the Olympic table tennis competition since the sport was introduced at the 1988 Seoul Games.

Finishing second, the Japanese women also made history by winning Japan's first Olympic medal in table tennis.

Li Xiaoxia, the newly crowned Olympic champion in women's singles, dropped one game in the opening match against Japan's Ai Fukuhara, but ended up winning 3-1 (11-6, 9-11, 11-2, 11-5).

World number one Ding Ning finished off Japan's 19-year-old Kasumi Ishikawa 3-0 (11-4, 12-10, 11-4).

Li teamed up with Beijing Olympic team gold medal winner Guo Yue in the doubles against Japan's Ishikawa and Sayaka Hirano. The Japanese pair fought bravely to keep their match alive, but was trounced by Li and Guo 3-1 (11-6, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5).

Both China and Japan had steamrolled all opponents with stunning victories since the start of the Olympic women's team table tennis tournament. The two Asian powers won all matches 3-0 before their final showdown.