China's table tennis giants are scrubbing everything
China's reigning table tennis champions reaffirm their status as the undisputed world number ones. Team gold goes to the top stars from the Middle Kingdom. However, the Swedes put up a good fight despite three losses in three games.
The men's team event at the Olympic table tennis tournament remains a domain of China's perennial winners. In the final against Germany's quarterfinal conquerors Sweden in Paris, the world champions extended their gold medal streak since the competition's debut 16 years ago with a 3:0 victory. However, the Asians had to fight hard to win all three matches in the deciding set, with Sweden fielding a Bundesliga trio of Truls Moregardh, Anton Kallberg, and Kristian Karlsson.
Bronze went to the hosts and world number two France, led by individual bronze medalist Felix Lebrun, after a 3:2 win over Japan. The German Table Tennis Association (DTTB) team, which won silver in Tokyo three years ago, finished fifth without a medal for the first time in the fifth Olympic team event.
For China, led by individual Olympic champion Fan Zhendong, the victory in the final against their former arch-rivals was their fourth gold medal in the Paris table tennis competitions. They have the chance to complete a clean sweep of all gold medals in the women's event against Japan on Saturday (15:00). They have only missed out on all gold medals once, at the last Olympics in Tokyo in 2021.
With the Chinese men's team victory, three-time world champion Ma Long won his fourth team Olympic gold and his sixth overall. He also won the individual events in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and 2021 in Tokyo. With his unique records, Ma solidified his status as the most successful table tennis player in Olympic history. He also took the lead in the most medals category, previously held by German national player Dimitrij Ovtcharov with two individual bronzes and four team medals.
The Chinese team celebrates their win in the men's team event at the Olympic table tennis tournament, held in Paris. France, as the hosts and the second-ranked team globally, aims for a bronze medal in the same competition.
