The Chinese national table tennis team departed from Beijing for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday.
The eight athletes of the team, Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng, Wang Manyu, Wang Yidi, Wang Chuqin, Fan Zhendong, Ma Long and Liang Jingkun, will compete in table tennis events at the Paris Games scheduled to commence on July 27.
Ma Long, with three team golds and two consecutive singles titles at the Olympics, is poised to play his fourth Olympic Games in Paris.
"I feel excited and thrilled now. It's great to compete at such a grand event once again," he said.
On the women's side, World No. 1 Sun Yingsha also expressed her excitement for the upcoming matches.
"I am very excited and proud wearing this uniform to compete for our country. We have a training period after we arrive in Paris, and hopefully I can get over the jet lag soon and come up in my good shape," said Sun.
"In the first week after we arrive in Paris, our main job should be to get over the jet lag and then as we change to a new environment in the Olympic Village, we should know when we are to enter the training camp. We should warm up in the first few days after we enter the village until the games begins. All this should be performed following a systematic plan made by our coach team," said Liu Guoliang, president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA).
Chinese table tennis team departs for Paris Olympics
Chinese table tennis team departs for Paris Olympics
Chinese table tennis team departs for Paris Olympics
Chinese table tennis team departs for Paris Olympics
Israel and Hamas have finally reached a ceasefire agreement to end over 15 months of fighting in the Gaza Strip after intensified efforts by mediators, Egypt's state-affiliated Al-Qahera News TV channel reported Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Israeli media, citing U.S. and Israeli officials, confirmed that the two warring parties have reached an agreement on a ceasefire and hostage release.
Israel's state-owned Kan TV news earlier quoted an Israeli official as reporting that Israel received a "positive" written reply from Hamas for approving a proposed Gaza ceasefire-for-hostage release deal.
Also on Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported that Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met with Hamas and Israeli negotiators in Doha in a "final push" to reach a ceasefire deal.
In another development, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said in a statement on Wednesday that the government is expected to vote on the Gaza ceasefire-for-hostage deal on Thursday.
Meanwhile, an Israeli official said the Security Cabinet will also convene on Thursday morning to vote on the deal.
Israel, Hamas reach Gaza ceasefire agreement: media reports