 at the Olympics, becoming the most decorated table tennis player in Olympic history and the Chinese athlete with the most Olympic gold medals.){kind=link}
Sweden and France Claim Their First-Ever Men’s Team Medals, Taking Silver and Bronze Respectively
The men’s team event at Paris 2024 culminated in a thrilling finale today, with China securing their fifth consecutive Olympic Men’s Team title. In a match that exemplified the pinnacle of table tennis, China defeated Sweden in a closely contested battle to claim the gold. This victory was also a historic one for Ma Long, who wins his sixth gold medal (London 2012: Team, Rio 2016: Singles and Team, Tokyo 2020: Singles and Team, Paris 2024: Team) at the Olympics, becoming the most decorated table tennis player in Olympic history and the Chinese athlete with the most Olympic gold medals.
China’s prowess was evident from the start, with an epic doubles clash, where the Chinese duo of Ma Long and Wang Chuqin emerged victorious over Sweden’s Anton Kallberg and Kristian Karlsson. In a tightly fought 3-2 (8-11, 11-4, 11-3, 6-11, 11-7) encounter, the Swedish duo showed immense resilience, saving multiple match points before the Chinese pair’s experience and power prevailed. Following that, Single’s Gold medallist, Fan Zhendong secured a crucial victory over Sweden’s Truls Moregard, giving his team a 2-0 lead. The match was a captivating encounter, with both players displaying exceptional skills. Moregard, who had earlier shocked the world by defeating Wang Chuqin in the singles event, pushed Fan to the brink. The decider was a rollercoaster of emotions, with the scoreline shifting throughout. Ultimately, Fan Zhendong’s experience won out as he clinched a 3-2 victory (10-12, 11-8, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5), putting China within one win of gold.
In the final match, Wang Chuqin sealed the victory for China by defeating Sweden’s Kristian Karlsson in a hard-fought 3-1 (11-9, 11-5, 10-12, 12-10) encounter. The match was a testament to both players’ skill, with Karlsson fighting valiantly to keep Sweden’s hopes alive. However, Wang Chuqin showcased why he is the top seed, delivering a composed performance that secured China’s fifth straight Olympic Men’s Team gold.
Earlier in the day, the Men’s Team bronze medal match provided its own share of excitement as France clinched the bronze in an epic 3-2 thriller against Japan. This victory represents France’s first-ever Olympic medal in the men’s team event, a triumph that will be celebrated for years to come.
The bronze medal clash began with France taking an early lead as Simon Gauzy and Alexis Lebrun overcame Japan’s duo of Hiroto Shinozuka and Shunsuke Togami 3-1 (11-5, 11-7, 5-11, 11-6) in the doubles match. Felix Lebrun then extended France’s lead to 2-0 with a sensational 3-2 (11-13, 11-4, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10) victory over Tomokazu Harimoto, who fought valiantly but ultimately fell short. However, Japan mounted a comeback as Shunsuke Togami kept their hopes alive by defeating Alexis Lebrun 3-1 (11-5, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9). Tomokazu Harimoto then leveled the tie at 2-2 with a thrilling 3-1 (11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 14-12) victory over Simon Gauzy, setting the stage for the dramatic finale. In the end, Felix Lebrun and Hiroto Shinozuka was a nail-biting encounter, with Lebrun prevailing in a tense decider. After saving three match points, Lebrun finally converted on his fourth to secure the win, sending the French crowd into a frenzy of jubilation.
As the table tennis action at Paris 2024 draws to a close, only one thrilling day remains. On Saturday, the women’s team event will wrap up the competition, featuring the bronze medal match between Germany and Korea Republic at 10:00 (GMT+2), followed by the gold medal clash between China and Japan at 15:00.
Credit: ITTF