58-year-old table tennis player exits Olympics but not the sport

PARIS - Zeng Zhiying, the 58-year-old who made her Olympic debut in Paris representing Chile, ended her Games journey after losing in the preliminary round on Saturday.

In a tight game full of long rallies, Zeng was beaten 4-1 by 46-year-old Lebanese player Mariana Sahakian.

"I definitely wanted to win, but I think I still performed at my own level. I tried to disrupt my opponent, but she was basically unaffected," said Zeng.

While her Olympics lasted less than 24 hours, Zeng said she plans to remain active in the sport, which she returned to during the COVID-19 lockdown after a decades-long break following a professional career in China.

Zeng, who was part of China's national team over 40 years ago, enjoyed a reunion as she reconnected with a former teammate, 61-year-old Ni Xialian, who is representing Luxembourg.

Zeng, who has lived in Chile for decades, acknowledges this might be her only shot at the Olympics, but she plans to remain active in tournaments.

"Competing again in the Olympics after another four years should be very difficult," said Zeng. "As long as my body is not injured, I'll still play. Even if I can't play at this level, I can still play at the Masters level."

She was cheered by a packed house at the South Paris Arena, which included her husband and two sons, who had travelled from Chile. She plans to spend more time with them exploring Paris.

"But I don't feel very sad, because this is sport. My husband, my sons, everyone I love and care about were there shouting my name. I feel so content," Zeng said.

—Reuters