Though postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games delivered a historic showcase of table tennis talent. Empty stands couldn’t mute the drama that unfolded within the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, a familiar venue from the 2014 World Team Championships.
The 2020 Games saw a significant change in the team event format with doubles kicking off proceedings. This allowed for more strategic player deployment and eliminated unnecessary breaks. This shift in format coincided with a historic decline in China’s dominance. While they secured four gold medals, it was the first time since Athens 2004 that they didn’t sweep the podiums. Notably, this was the first time ever that the Mixed Doubles event was contested in the Summer Olympics, adding another layer of excitement to the competition.
Tokyo 2020 was also a platform for new faces and record-breaking feats. Syrian athlete Hend Zaza, at a mere 12 years and 204 days old at the start of the Games, became the youngest player ever to compete in Olympic table tennis, across all sports. This historic feat made her the youngest athlete to participate in the Olympics for over 50 years. Meanwhile Luxembourg’s Ni Xia Lian became the oldest table tennis Olympian at 58. Mima Ito etched her name in history, as the first table tennis player to win three medals in one Olympics, and Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov became the first player to win a medal at four consecutive Games.
The biggest story of the Games came in the Mixed Doubles competition. Japan’s Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito secured their nation’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in table tennis with a thrilling upset over China’s Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen. The final score was a nail-biting 5, -7, 8, 9, 9, -6, 6, showcasing the exceptional skill and resilience of both teams.
Ma Long cemented his legacy as the undisputed greatest, by achieving the unthinkable: defending his Men’s Singles title. No other Men’s player in Olympic history has managed this feat. This dominant performance solidified his place as a true legend of the sport, a master of the racket whose name will be etched in table tennis history forever.
The Tokyo 2020 Games, played under unique circumstances, provided a stage for exceptional talent and history-making moments. As we look to Paris 2024, the future of table tennis shines brightly with established stars and rising talents promising another captivating display of athleticism on the world’s biggest stage.
