8/30/2008 2008 Olympic Games

The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games are now history.
It left us all with a feeling of perfection and splendid organization. Few countries, if any, can in today’s age put on such a show from start to finish. Those of us lucky enough to attend also met, first hand, a new generation of Chinese who were outspoken, well versed and service-minded.

And… yes, to be able to experience all this was a big deal for a guy, who in his small teenage room in Sweden, in a place where the eagles still fly, decided to honour the closing of the 1976 Games in Montreal by standing tall throughout the whole closing ceremony in front of a black and white TV screen.

 8/27/2008 2008 Olympic Games

Since 4th May of this year, Boris Johnson is the Mayor of the London. The colourful politician with the fierce haircut gained international prominence when he received the Olympic flag on the occasion of the Closing Ceremony of the Beijing Games.

London will host the event in 2012. At the “Handover Party”, Johnson appeared with the Olympic flag and explained immodestly the difference between the British and the rest of the world, why London is the sporting capital of world and where table tennis belongs.

 8/24/2008 2008 Olympic Games

Find in this article statistics from the Olympic Singles Events as well as the number of racket control and doping tests.

 8/24/2008 2008 Olympic Games

Before the end of the 2008 Olympic Games, ITTF President Adham Sharara made a short résumé about the table tennis events at the Games in China.

Mr. Sharara spoke about the success on the Chinese television CCTV, the future of the new team event and his concerns about China’s dominance in the world of table tennis.

 8/23/2008 2008 Olympic Games

China’s MA Lin is Olympic table tennis champion in the Men’s Singles event. MA overcame his compatriot WANG Hao in five games 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9.

It was the first very big title for the 28 year old Chinese. MA has already won four times the ITTF World Cup, but never gold at World Championships or Olympic Games in Singles.

 8/23/2008 2008 Olympic Games

WANG Hao (CHN) vs. MA Lin (CHN)
5th game: MA Lin is leading 7-2 and is close to the title. 10-7 for MA, who takes a time-out. 11-9 for Ma. That's the title!
4th game: WANG Hao was leading most of the time but MA was too strong at the end of the game. 11-7 and 3-1 lead for MA (no. 2).
3rd game: WANG Hao has become stronger. 11-6 for the world number 1.
2nd game: MA Lin was 8-3 and 10-5 ahead but WANG Hao does not give up. MA again wins with 11-9.
1st game: MA Lin led 10-6 and uses the last game point to win 11-9.

 8/23/2008 2008 Olympic Games

China’s Wang Liqin won the bronze medal match against Sweden’s Jörgen Persson with four games to nil. The 30 year old Chinese put his 12 years older opponent constantly under pressure and completed the Chinese dominance.

The hosts won all medals in the Women’s as well as in the Men’s Singles event. Persson suffered the same fate like his compatriot Jan-Ove Waldner four years ago. Persson’s friend was also in the penultimate round but failed to win a medal for Sweden.