Evergreen table tennis player Ni Xialian, who has just competed in her sixth Olympics at the age of 61, has shared her remarkable Olympic story after demonstrating grace and sportsmanship at the Paris Games.
The Chinese-born Luxembourg veteran performed admirably in the French capital, where she won plaudits for her age-defying performance as well as her positive attitude. After coming through her first round match against a player half her age, Ni was only to be defeated by the world No. 1, China's Sun Yingsha, in the women's singles round of 32.
Yet Ni's mere presence on the grand stage of the Games, where she was by far the oldest table tennis player competing, served as a powerful inspiration to her peers and to fans all around the globe.
Starting her table tennis journey at the age of seven, Ni went on to make the Chinese national team in 1979 and captured two gold medals at the 1983 World Championships in Tokyo. She later left to study abroad and eventually settled in Luxembourg in 1991.
In an online interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Tuesday, Ni said that despite leaving aged 26, she will always consider China as her home, and as the starting point of her decades-long professional career.
Ni also said she has always felt the responsibility of representing the Chinese people in promoting the sport and helping grow the game at an international level.
"I have such a wonderful experience in China, and China is always my motherland. Such experience is unforgettable and also will never change. And I appreciate China gave me so much knowledge, especially in table tennis. So many people helped me, and [gave me] such experience, and I'm the lucky one. I'm the beneficiary one, so I think I'm happy to help other people if it's possible. And luckily, I went to Luxembourg and they are also such a nice country, nice people and we are cooperating very well," said Ni.
"Now I have already lived in Luxembourg for 34 years, my two children [were] born there. Also I have very good feeling and contact with the people and I'm very [much] enjoying my life. And also I feel if on behalf of the Chinese, to help [people] from other countries. I call this the international spirit," she said.
While Ni's drive to continue competing at the highest level is undeniable, she said that results are not the be-all and end-all, instead stressing that embodying the Olympic spirit of giving your best while enjoying the competition remains the most important aspect.
"I like to show the fighting spirit but also the enjoyment. I think, winning and losing, we cannot change, but we try to make the game beautiful, happy, challenging, and exciting. I was born in China, I'm a Chinese player in Europe. My image is like this, and I want people [to feel] happy from my behavior. And also another reason is because of my age, people may think, [at this] age [you] cannot be so happy, but I think, why not? So I appreciate that people like it. I just want [to deliver] the positive energy for the people," she said.
Age-defying table tennis star shares Olympic story after winning plaudits for sportsmanship
