TABLE TENNIS GRANDMA MAKES HER OLYMPICS DEBUT AT 58-YEARS-OLD
Zhiying Zeng, a professional table tennis player, made her Olympic debut in 2024 in Paris after an incredible comeback to the sport at the age of 58. She had a son, relocated to Latin America, and even retired, but she never gave up on her dream of competing in the Olympics. Zeng, who is representing Chile, along with 65-year-old equestrian Jimenez Cobo and 59-year-old Steffen Peters, will be among the oldest athletes competing at the Olympics.
Zeng was brought up playing table tennis since her mother was a coach. She was born in Guangzhou, China, in 1966. Zeng started playing table tennis professionally at the age of twelve, winning several championships. She joined China's national team four years later.
She told CNN, "It was the biggest dream of my life." "Even as a young child, I used to respond to questions about my dreams by saying, 'Becoming an Olympian.'"
Zeng's run, though, came to an end when table tennis adopted a new regulation requiring paddles with two sides to be distinct from one another. The athlete was forced to make a significant technique change as a result, which improved the consistency of her shots. Zeng consequently quit the national team.
"It was the biggest dream of my life," she said to CNN. "I used to say, 'Becoming an Olympian,' in response to questions about my dreams even as a small child."
But when table tennis adopted a new rule requiring paddles with two sides to be different from one another, Zeng's run came to an end. As a result, the athlete had to alter her technique significantly, which increased the consistency of her shots. As a result, Zeng left the national team.
"Because we weren't doing anything restricted in the house other than eating, more than anything, just to exercise," remembers Zeng. "After getting the bug, I wanted to play against someone to see what level I was at and whether I could still run or not as soon as we were able to leave."
Zeng started participating in local competitions in her native Iquique, Chile. She participated in the 2023 South American Table Tennis Championships at the age of 57. She won the team competition, placed second in the singles, and finished first in the women's doubles. Zeng's notoriety soared during the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, where her fortitude and tenacity won her a devoted following of supporters.
On July 27, Zeng was defeated by the representative of Lebanon in the first round of the Paris 2024 Olympic table tennis competition. Nonetheless, she received support from friends and family, including her 92-year-old father who lives in China, during the Olympic Games and throughout her career.
Zeng's story serves as a potent illustration of the intense passion we can have for a cause and the fact that we can fulfil our dreams at any age. Her journey—which included three career pauses, adjusting to new regulations, and making her debut on the international scene—shows the benefits of unwavering resolve and tenacity.