HONG KONG: China achieved table tennis perfection at the last Olympics, sweeping both singles podiums and winning the team titles, but a rule change has given at least a glimmer of hope to their rivals in London.
Since the sport joined the Olympic programme in 1988, China have exerted an iron grip — taking 20 of the 24 available golds, including all four at Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000. They took their dominance to a new level in Beijing, winning all six medals in the men’s and women’s singles and gold in both team events.
China’s power — demonstrated yet again by their men’s and women’s titles at the world team championships in Germany this year — has long led to concerns over the sport’s public appeal. But in London, there will be at least two non-Chinese paddlers on the podium, after each country was limited to just two singles entrants.
