Since women’s table tennis was introduced to the Olympics at Seoul in 1988 there has been only one country providing the individual gold medallist, namely China – and Ding Ning maintained that incredible run tonight here as she reversed the result of the London 2012 final against compatriot Li Xiaoxia.
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The medal matches are already upon us in Rio with the women set to hand out silverware Wednesday evening.
In the later proved important third set, the 26-year-old Ding, who’s uncomfortable with her left shoulder after two straight matches against defensive players before the final, took an earlier lead and denied a late comeback from Li to win 14-12.
“I don’t think it is possible to compare each game, but I feel like I am a lot more mature than four years ago”.
And it was Ding who got her Olympic revenge, recovering from a 3-2 deficit to snatch the last two games 11-7, 11-7 and claim her first Olympic singles gold medal.
The country took all six Olympic medals in the men’s and women’s singles event in 2008, prompting a rule change to allow only two players from each country to compete. “I can say that with certainty”, she said.
Li, 28, said she had given her best.
The China vs China final reflected the country’s continued domination of the sport.
The gold medal match was a seven-game thriller that replayed the London 2012 final.
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Table tennis player Kim Song-i delivered North Korea’s fourth medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Wednesday as she finished third in the women’s singles competition.
