Leaving it all on the table

Editor's note: With the Olympic stage set, and golden glory beckoning, Chinese athletes have been going all-out to ensure it will be a medal-laden campaign at Paris 2024.

As the Paris Olympics approach, unlike many teams striving for personal bests or podium finishes, the Chinese national table tennis team has a single, straightforward objective: to sweep all five gold medals.

That mission starts on July 27 at South Paris Arena and ends, hopefully accomplished, on Aug 10.

The Chinese team, a balanced mix of seasoned veterans and promising newcomers, arrived in Paris on July 15, focused on ensuring it is.

"Our goal has always been to win all the gold medals," declared Liu Guoliang, president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association and a former world and Olympic champion. Upon its arrival, the team spent the first week adjusting to the time difference and soaking up the Olympic atmosphere.

"It's crucial for the athletes to acclimate to the time zone and environment, and manage their emotions and mindset. They will feel a surge of excitement and gradually get into competition mode," Liu explained.

"The plan includes a training camp, settling into the Olympic Village, and warm-up games leading up to the tournament," he said.

In the women's singles at the Paris Olympics, Sun Yingsha and Chen Meng are the favorites for gold. At 23, Sun is known for her versatility and consistency, achieving remarkable results in the current Olympics cycle. Competing in singles, team and mixed doubles, Sun is the top seed in all three events, and is determined to grab all three golds.

Sun is intensely focused on her preparation. "Once I enter the Olympic Village, my mind is solely on table tennis. From stepping into the competition venue, I start adjusting my mindset. During the matches, I will give my all," she said.

In March, the International Olympic Committee named Sun as one of the five female athletes to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite her young age, Sun has topped the ITTF women's singles rankings since July 2022. A seven-time world champion, she would make history in Paris by winning all three golds, the IOC stated.

Tokyo Olympics women's singles champion Chen, now 30, brings extensive experience to the squad, and aims to defend her title. If Chen and Sun face off in the final, it promises to be a thrilling showdown.

In men's singles, Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong are the top contenders. At 24, Wang is making his Olympic debut, but his rapid progress during the Paris Olympic cycle has been remarkable.

Wang's breakthrough came at last year's Hangzhou Asian Games, where he won four gold medals, becoming the first male player in Asian Games table tennis history to do so. This year, he continued his winning streak, claiming titles at the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan, South Korea, the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash, the WTT Star Contender meet in Doha, Qatar, and the WTT Saudi Smash. His excellent form will enable him to mount a challenge for a first Olympics singles title in Paris.

Fan, with his solid technique and extensive experience, is showing signs of a resurgence. In a field dominated by Chinese players, he won the 2023 men's singles title at the World Table Tennis Championships in Durban. With only an Olympics men's singles title missing from his collection, he is determined to complete the "grand slam" and achieve his dream in Paris.

In the women's team event, Wang Manyu has grown more mature and composed during this Olympic cycle. With her on the squad, alongside Sun and Chen, the Chinese women's team aims to extend its streak to six consecutive Olympic golds.

Japan remains China's fiercest rival. At the 2024 Busan World Team Table Tennis Championships, Japan pushed China all the way, setting the stage for a likely showdown in the Olympic final.

In the men's team event, Ma Long stands as the team's cornerstone. With a men's team gold from London 2012, and both the singles and team golds from Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, Ma will compete in his fourth Olympics, aiming to claim his sixth gold medal. If the men's team wins, Ma will become the most decorated athlete in Chinese Olympic history.

A recent surge of global talent means that China's men must prepare for strong performances from European players on their home soil. The French brothers, Alexis and Felix Lebrun, are particularly notable for their versatile serves and aggressive play, excelling in the first three strokes.

Liu has indicated that European players may exceed expectations at the Paris Olympics due to their home advantage.

The biggest hurdle to China's goal of sweeping all of the table tennis golds in Paris is mixed doubles. At the Tokyo Games, China won both singles and both team golds, but missed out as Japan's Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito secured their country's first Olympic gold in mixed doubles, preventing China from achieving a clean sweep.

For Paris, China has focused on the mixed doubles pair of Wang Chuqin and Sun. Wang Chuqin's quick, aggressive play complements Sun's precise, agile style. Under coach Xiao Zhan, they have shown strong form, winning titles at major events including the World Championships and the Asian Games, and consistently topping the world rankings.

Their main competitors are Japan's Hina Hayata and Tomokazu Harimoto, who recently won the mixed doubles title at the WTT Star Contender Bangkok 2024.

With only one mixed doubles spot per team at the Olympics, this event is crucial. Wang Chuqin and Sun will need to stay highly focused to help China achieve a sweep of all five events.