Paris
\nZhiying Zeng, born in China, has made her Olympics debut at 58 years old, representing Chile after an incredible journey.
\nZeng was born in 1966 in Guangzhou, China, into a household that lived and breathed table tennis. Her mother was a table tennis coach and coached Zeng until she was 9 years old. She quickly climbed the ranks and won numerous regional tournaments, subsequently becoming a junior national champion.
\nHowever, the sport\u2019s switch to two-sided paddles disrupted her game, preventing her from making the team. This setback led to immense frustration, and she retired from the sport at just 20 years old.
\n\u201cSo many players in China have the dream [to represent the country] because it\u2019s so hard to achieve. The change of rules affected my game a lot,\u201d she told CNN. \u201cThat\u2019s when I had a big downturn and left the national team. \u201d
\nBut the tide changed quickly for Zeng. In 1989, a school in Chile invited her to become a table tennis coach, an offer that changed her life.
\nZeng started playing again a few years later and won two national-level tournaments in 2004 and 2005. However, she put a halt to her journey again after her son started playing the sport.
\nFor two almost decades, Zeng didn\u2019t play table tennis. However, the Covid-19 pandemic reignited her passion for the game. She bought a table and started playing again.
\n\u201c[started playing again] More than anything, just to exercise because we weren\u2019t doing anything locked down in the house except eating,\u201d she told CNN. \u201cI got the bug and once we were able to leave, I immediately wanted to play against someone to see what level I was at \u2013 and see if I could I still run or not.\u201d
\nShe began playing in regional tournaments with the help of the federation in Iquique, Chile, where she resides. She then qualified for the 2023 South American Table Tennis Championships at the age of 57 after persuasion from her friends and family.
\nAnd at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, she became a Chilean sensation and got the opportunity to represent her country at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
\nAgainst all odds, Zeng achieved her dream, making her Olympic debut at age 58.
\nOn Saturday, Zeng played against Lebanon\u2019s Mariana Sahakian in the preliminary rounds of Paris 2024 and lost. However, her story has been one for the ages.
\n\u201cBut I don\u2019t feel very sad, because this is sport. My husband, my sons, everyone I love and care about were there shouting my name. I feel so content,\u201d Zeng said after her loss.
\nHer journey is a testament to perseverance and passion, serving as an inspiration to many.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Paris Zhiying Zeng, born in China, has made her Olympics debut at 58 years old, representing Chile after an incredible journey. Zeng was born in 1966 in Guangzhou, China, into a household that lived and breathed table tennis. Her mother was a table tennis coach and coached Zeng until she was 9 years old. She […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-421844","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n