The amazing story of Olympic table tennis star who made debut aged 58 after switching nationality and changing name
A TABLE TENNIS star has incredibly made her Olympic debut at the age of 58 after changing her name and nationality.
Zhiying “Tania” Zeng left China to teach table tennis in Chile way back in 1989 before she ended up retiring from the sport.
But she returned to pursue her dream of reaching the Olympic Games during the Covid pandemic, changing her name to Tania and competing as a Chilean athlete.
And she attracted attention with a bronze medal at the Pan American Games last year.
Olympic qualification still seemed a tough ask given Zeng was ranked outside the top 100.
But she miraculously achieved the feat and played at the Paris Games 10 days after her 58th birthday.
And while she lost 4-1 to Lebanon’s Mariana Sahakian, that does little to denigrate the incredible achievement.
Speaking to Associated Press ahead of the Games, she said: “I never imagined [making it to the Olympic Games] because I took it up for entertainment, to do some sport.
“I gained confidence by playing a lot. Since I always won, I liked playing more and more.
“Qualifying for an Olympics is a big, gigantic dream, and being able to fulfil it at that age is a huge happiness.”
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Born as the daughter of a local table tennis coach in southern China, Zeng now lives thousands of miles from where she grew up as she splits her time between the Chilean cities of Iquique and Santiago.
But she is lapping up the adoration from her adopted home as an unlikely Olympic hero.
She added: “Everyone knows me, greets me, wants a photo and for me, it’s just joy.
“I am already Chilean in heart and soul, everything. They are going to bury me here.”