The table tennis arena at the Paris Olympics staged a shocking reversal. On July 28, in the women's singles round of 64, 45-year-old Portugal's Fu Yu swept the tournament's No. 9 seed and Korea's Tian Zhixi with a 4-0 disparity. This match is not only the exit of the top 10 seeds in the table tennis women's singles at this Olympic Games, but also sets off a heated discussion about age, nationality and sportsmanship.
At the beginning of the match, the 32-year-old Tian Zhixi seemed to be uncomfortable with the opponent's rhythm. Although she tried to adjust her form in the second game, Fu Yu's play got better and better. In the end, the "veteran" completed a jaw-dropping sweep with a score of 11-7, 11-6, 13-11, 11-9.
What surprised fans even more was that these two were still fellow countrymen, who would have thought that! Some netizens directly broke the news about the ancestral home of the two, and these two players have similar backgrounds - they are both from Hebei, China, but they chose different countries to play in different periods. Tian Zhixi went to Korea in 2008 to develop, while Fu Yu has become a Portugal citizen in recent years. This situation of "foreign aid and foreign aid" makes people think: what does nationality mean to athletes in today's globalization?
What's even more surprising is that Fu Yu can still maintain such an excellent condition at the age of 45. Her victory not only shattered the preconceived notion of an athlete's age, but also gave hope to athletes who were considered "past their prime". Does this mean that, in the sport of table tennis, experience and skill can compensate for the disadvantages that age brings?
This bout also gives us more food to ponder: what makes a 45-year-old "veteran" capable of beating a world-class fighter at his prime? Is it the accumulation of experience? Is it mental composure? Or is the desire for victory even stronger?
It is worth mentioning that on the same day, Korea men's Cho Dae-sung also lost 2-4 to United States' Karnak in the men's singles match, and also crashed out. As the Olympics progresses, we look forward to seeing more surprises from "dark horse" players like Fu Yu. Their stories remind us that in sports, never underestimate any opponent because miracles can happen at any time.
Let's applaud 45-year-old Fu Yu, she proved with practical actions: as long as you have a dream, age is never a limit. What kind of performances will she bring in the future competitions? Let's wait and see!