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Zhang wins, Wang unable to snap jinx
Source: AFP |
August 3, 2012, Friday
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CHINA'S Zhang Jike won the Olympic men's singles table tennis gold medal as he completed a career grand slam by defeating compatriot Wang Hao 4-1 in the final yesterday.
Victory saw 24-year-old top seed Zhang become the first male player in history to win successive World Championship and Olympic titles.
Zhang stormed into a 3-0 lead before No. 2 seed Wang, singles silver medallist at both the 2004 and 2008 Games, hit back in his quest for an elusive singles gold medal.
But Zhang held his nerve for an 18-16, 11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 13-11 win over the 27-year-old Wang, the 2009 world champion.
An elated Zhang celebrated his victory by leaping out of the court and running to the empty podium, kissing the top step on which he would soon be standing to receive his gold medal.
"I'm very excited, it's my first time at the Olympics and it has been my dream to win the gold medal since I started playing."
His latest success gave Zhang a 'grand slam' as he added Olympic gold to the World Cup and World Championship titles he won in Paris and Rotterdam respectively last year.
"I feel like I have completed a mission," he said of his treble triumph.
Zhang had words of consolation for Wang, adding: "When we are not competing we are like brothers. When we are playing a match I cannot say we are enemies. We can still play against each other and be friends."
Meanwhile Wang reacted to his latest Olympic final loss by saying: "Everyone wants to win the gold, but I lost to a teammate so it's not so serious. I've done my best."
In the world championships China enters seven or eight players in singles. There was no such cushion with only two in the Olympics. China men's coach Liu Guoliang, a double gold medalist in 1996, would like to see a bit more competition.
"I'd be happy to see the overall standard improve," Liu said. "But of course, I want Chinese players to stay on top."
Liu, who was on the bench to coach Zhang and Wang in the other matches, watched from the stands in the sold-out 6,000-seat venue - huge by table-tennis standards.
"One is like an elder son, and the other is like a younger son," Liu said.
Victory saw 24-year-old top seed Zhang become the first male player in history to win successive World Championship and Olympic titles.
Zhang stormed into a 3-0 lead before No. 2 seed Wang, singles silver medallist at both the 2004 and 2008 Games, hit back in his quest for an elusive singles gold medal.
But Zhang held his nerve for an 18-16, 11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 13-11 win over the 27-year-old Wang, the 2009 world champion.
An elated Zhang celebrated his victory by leaping out of the court and running to the empty podium, kissing the top step on which he would soon be standing to receive his gold medal.
"I'm very excited, it's my first time at the Olympics and it has been my dream to win the gold medal since I started playing."
His latest success gave Zhang a 'grand slam' as he added Olympic gold to the World Cup and World Championship titles he won in Paris and Rotterdam respectively last year.
"I feel like I have completed a mission," he said of his treble triumph.
Zhang had words of consolation for Wang, adding: "When we are not competing we are like brothers. When we are playing a match I cannot say we are enemies. We can still play against each other and be friends."
Meanwhile Wang reacted to his latest Olympic final loss by saying: "Everyone wants to win the gold, but I lost to a teammate so it's not so serious. I've done my best."
In the world championships China enters seven or eight players in singles. There was no such cushion with only two in the Olympics. China men's coach Liu Guoliang, a double gold medalist in 1996, would like to see a bit more competition.
"I'd be happy to see the overall standard improve," Liu said. "But of course, I want Chinese players to stay on top."
Liu, who was on the bench to coach Zhang and Wang in the other matches, watched from the stands in the sold-out 6,000-seat venue - huge by table-tennis standards.
"One is like an elder son, and the other is like a younger son," Liu said.
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