.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier was populated with vermillion streamers, incorporating a glow to the currently orangey air rising off the reddish clay court.These were Mandarin flagsu00e2 $” numerous themu00e2 $” waving in loud assistance for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who would quickly take gold by beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s singles ping pong final.As she set on the dust, eyes skyward and also fists expanded right into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force appeared to enroll: Zheng had actually merely shaped the type of history that expanded much past the stadium and the second. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $” and also Zheng had made clear of the reality that the Olympics were actually as, or even more, essential to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic victory on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, we constantly believe a countryu00e2 $ s honor remains in face of personal excellence, u00e2 $ she stated over a morning conference at Nikeu00e2 $ s Professional athlete Property, tucked discreetly between the Stade de France and also the Aquatics Facility in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis place, the time after her conquest.
u00e2 $ I managed [the Video games] differentlyu00e2 $” the emotional state, the battle, the mindset: It really felt various than intermittent tournament Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started playing tennis at age seven. At age 8, she moved, without her mom and dad, to Wuhan for better training, as well as considering that teenage years she has heavily admired and also followed Chinese sportsmens, like the tennis star Li Na and also the runner Liu Xiang, that gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was really tough, u00e2 $ Zheng stated, remembering at those very early times. u00e2 $ My mommy used to follow visit on weekends.
When she left behind, I would certainly hold her lower leg and also cry. When she was actually gone, I would certainly always store her jacket. This was actually until I was actually 13.
After 13, my mother determined to quit her job and happen visit me permanent, just to possess much better development and also better care. After that, it obtained simpler. And we relocated to Europe when I was 17.
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