Zhiying Zeng's Olympic dream began in the 1970s, when she was still playing for the Chinese professional table tennis youth team. But it was not until May 2024 that the 58-year-old woman completed her goal when she won a ticket to Paris this summer.
This is a story that even Zhiying Zeng could not predict. Because this female table tennis player stopped playing professionally in 1986, when she was only 20 years old. After that, she went abroad to live, work and own a furniture company in Iquique, northern Chile.
The impact of the COVID-19 epidemic has paved the way for Zhiying Zeng to return to table tennis. During the time Chile imposed the blockade, she bought ban to play at home every day.
When life returned to normal, the former athlete participated in local tournaments, winning many victories to become the highest-ranked person in the country. In 2023, she qualified to join the Chile national team.
Zhiying Zeng won the highest ranking at Sud Americanos 2023 and the bronze medal at the 2023 Inter-American Sports Festival. In the women's singles event, this athlete is eligible to represent Chile in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Zhiying Zeng has been involved in table tennis since he was a child. Her mother is a table tennis coach in Guangzhou (China). At that time, this sport became popular and loved by the Chinese. After a long period of training, Zhiying Zeng was selected to join the national team in 2008.
In 1986, the female athlete's dream was extinguished when the rules of table tennis changed. Psychological and technical pressures forced Zhiying Zeng to leave the national team.
Just 3 years later, she moved to Chile with an invitation to work as a student coach. Here, Zhiying Zeng started his business in Chinese goods.
The 58-year-old athlete never thought of trying out for the Chile national team. She wanted to focus on her business, until the COVID-19 pandemic brought her back to table tennis.
At the 2023 Inter-American Sports Festival, Zhiying Zeng - the oldest athlete - became a "phenomenon". After only one week, she attracted more than 10,000 followers on Instagram. Fans and supporters in Chile call Zhiying Zeng "the table tennis old lady".
At the age of 58, Zhiying Zeng came to the 2024 Paris Olympics with endless happiness. She affirmed: "I am proud to represent Chile. I love this country. I couldn't achieve my dream in China but I could in Chile. The important thing is not to give up.
