GOLDEN REDEMPTION FOR CHINA

Wang, Sun clinch table tennis mixed doubles title after team’s Tokyo failure

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China's Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha gave it their all to beat North Korea's Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong 4-2 in the table tennis mixed doubles final at the Paris Games on July 30, the first step in what could be a gold-medal sweep in the sport for the nation.

The North Koreans won their first Olympic medal since Rio 2016 as they skipped Tokyo three years ago due to Covid-19 concerns, settling for silver after defeat.

The Chinese arrived in the French capital as the world's undisputed table tennis kings, having won 32 of the 37 available golds since it became an Olympic sport.

They failed to claim the mixed doubles title when it was introduced three years ago in Tokyo, losing to a home pairing.

Wang and Sun, who had attracted many travelling fans to cheer for them in France, set the record straight this time with an 11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8 win over their opponents.

"We have been thinking of winning this gold for a very long time," said Wang. "I had said it before, I will give it my all to win this gold, and today I did it."

Sun added: "We have been preparing for this and we made it. In fact, both sides played very well and in the end it was down to our belief and our determination that we won."