2008年8月22日星期五

Photos: Chinese Zhang Yining wins Olympic Table Tennis Singles gold

Three Chinese national flags are being hoisted up. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Chinese Zhang Yining beat teammate Wang Nan 4-1 to win the Women's Singles gold medal at the Olympic Games here on Friday.

Earlier, Chinese Guo Yue downed Singapore's Li Jiawei to claim the bronze.

Zhang Yining poses with her medal. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

(L-R) Wang Nan, Zhang Yining and Guo Yue (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Zhang Yining returns the ball. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Zhang Yining plays a shot. (Photo credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Zhang Yining (R) and Wang Nan wave to spectators. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Zhang Yining wins fourth Table Tennis Gold

Updated: 2008-08-22 22:27:10

(L-R) Wang Nan, Zhang Yining and Guo Yue pose with their medals. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Photo Gallery>>

(BEIJING, August 22) -- Defending Olympic champion Zhang Yining of China once again secured her title Friday night at the Peking Univeristy Gymnasium with a commanding 4-1 win over teammate Wang Nan. Zhang has participated in four Olympic events (two Singles and two Team) and won the gold medal on every occasion.

Despite losing to Zhang in the final, Wang Nan became the most successful Table Tennis player ever in Olympic history with four gold medals and one silver.

Zhang Yining celebrates her win. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Teammates and training partners on the Chinese national Table Tennis team, Zhang and Wang were very familiar with each other's style going into the match. For the world's top-ranked players, the duel came down to a battle of acumen over skill.

But after a challenging contest, Zhang finally prevailed. Wang made several mistakes in the second and third game which provided Zhang a two point lead at 3-1. In the fifth crucial game, Zhang sealed the deal with an incredible 11-3 win over Wang.

China claimed all three medals in the Women's Singles at Beijing 2008, with Guo Yue winning bronze after beating Singapore's Li Jiawei 4-2. It was China's second medal sweep in the Women's Singles event; their first was at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Altogether China has won 11 out of a possible 12 gold medals in Women's Table Tennis.