THE JOURNEY OF TABLE TENNIS AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

The Summer Olympic Games also known as the Games of the Olympiad, are a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The Games were first held in 1896 in Athens, Greece, and were most recently held in 2016 in Rio, Brazil.

Table tennis has been an Olympic sport since 1988, with four event categories. From 1988 until 2004, these were men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles and women's doubles. Since 2008, a team event has been played instead of the doubles. 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, which was postponed to 24 July, 2021 due to COVID-19, will add the mixed doubles event for the first time.

Table tennis at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo will feature 172 table tennis players from 24 nations from 24 July to 6 August 2021 at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium

The Summer Olympics have been hosted on five continents by a total of nineteen countries. Australia hosted the 1956 and the 2000 Summer Olympics, and it is believed that Australia will have a great chance to host the 2032 Summer Olympics for the third times.

Diagram of Summer Olympic Games locations – countries that have hosted one Summer Olympics are shaded green, while countries that have hosted two or more are shaded blue.

      Diagram of Table Tennis Events in each Summer Olympic Games during 1988 - 2020.

China has been the most successful nation in Olympic table tennis, winning 53 medals with 28 gold medals, 17 silver medals and 8 bronze medals. Due to China's dominance in the sport the format was changed for the 2012 Olympics, such that only two competitors instead of three from each country can enter. This format makes it such that one country cannot win all three top medals - as has been the case during both the Individual Men's and Women's events at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, where China dominated and won all 6 medals.

In 2008, the doubles events were replaced by team events to lessen the emphasis on doubles play.

  Diagram of Table Tennis Medallists’ Countries in each Summer Olympic Games 1988 - 2016.

As of the 2016 Summer Olympics, 100 medals (32 gold, 32 silver, and 36 bronze) have been awarded to 90 players selected from 12 National Olympic Committees (NOC). Third-place matches were not held at the 1992 Summer Olympics, so all losing semi-finalists were given bronze medals, resulting in four additional bronze medallists in 1992.

The first Australian Table Tennis Olympians in 1988 Seoul Olympic Games - Nadia Bisiach, Gary Haberl and Kerri Tepper with team manager Neil Harwood.

Australia has been represented at every Olympic Games since the sport began in 1988 but has never won a table tennis medal in Olympic competition.

As one of the greatest ever Australian table tennis player and the first Australian male table tennis player in 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, Gary Haberl was, until Michelle Bromley’s selection for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the only New South Wales born and grown Olympian in Australian table tennis history. Gary had 5 Oceania Titles and 21 National Titles.

           Shirley Zhou                                Miao Miao                              Stella Zhou

As the first Australian female table tennis players in 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, both Nadia Bisiach and Kerri Tepper were Victoria born and grown Olympians. Nadia has 5 Oceania Titles and 14 National Titles, and Kerri Tepper has 16 Oceania Titles and 36 National Titles

Kerri represented Australia at 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games as well. Both Nadia Bisiach and Kerri Teppe are the only Australia born and grown Olympians in Australian table tennis history until Melissa Tapper’s selection for 2016 Rio Olympic Games and Michelle Bromley’s selection for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

From 1996 to 2012, all 7 Australian female table tennis Olympians were born and grown in China. Shirley Zhou and Stella Zhou, both from China, represented Australia at the 1996 Summer Olympics and 2000 Summer Olympics.

At 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, in front of a home crowd, Miao Miao and Shirley Zhou combined in the women’s doubles to place fifth out of 34 teams, Australia’s best result in Olympic table tennis.

William Henzell, competing at his third Olympic Games at 2012 London Olympic Games, matched the best ever result by an Australian having knocked off a number of higher ranked opponents as he progressed through to the quarter-finals. William Henzell and Paul Langley are the only two South Australia born and grown Australian table tennis Olympians.

                   Place of Birth of 12 Australian female table tennis Olympians

The 2016 Rio Olympic Games saw Jian Fang Lay, Melissa Tapper, Sally Zhang and Chris Yan made history. Lay became one of only three Australian women to have now competed at five Olympic Games while Tapper became the nation's first Paralympian to also compete at an Olympics. Lay was Australia's only singles player to score a win at Rio, progressing through to the third round. Sally and Chris became the first couple to compete in Olympic Games at the same time at the same sport in Australian Olympic history.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games saw Jian Fang Lay as Australia’s first women to compete at six Olympic Games for Australia. Chef de Mission for the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo Ian Chesterman said Jian’s dedication to excellence is an inspiration.

“What a fantastic Olympic milestone to announce Jian to her sixth Olympic Games,” Mr Chesterman said. “To make one Olympics is a special achievement. To stay at the top of your game for decades to make six Olympics is a truly rare feat. Congratulations to Jian on

reaching this next chapter in your Olympic career and to your family, coaches, supporters, friends and teammates who will no doubt be cheering you on in Tokyo from back home.”

Table Tennis Australia CEO Scott Houston congratulated Jian on reaching an incredible milestone.

“Jian is one of the best Australian table tennis players of all time and she is an Australian sporting treasure,” Houston said. “To maintain her standard on the international stage for more than 20 years is phenomenal.”

“Representing Australia at six Olympic Games is an outstanding achievement and no doubt she will perform strongly once again. Special mention also to Jian’s family for their tremendous support, without their help Jian’s longevity would not be possible.”

                       Place of Birth of 14 Australian male table tennis Olympians

From 1988 to 2008, all 14 Australian male table tennis Olympians were born and grown in Australia until Justin Han’ selection for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and Chris Yan’s selection 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

In singles all events follow a knockout (single elimination) format with each match consists of the best four out of seven games to at least 11 points, where the winner must win by at least two points. Players have two serves in a row, except when the points score reaches 10 all, after which the serve alternates each point at the end of each set the players will swap sides.

A team match at the Olympic competition is a straight knockout, and it will start on 1 Aug 2021. Australia will compete with Japan on 2 Aug 2021, and the full draw is listed as following:

Anti-epidemic regulations for 2020 Tokyo Olympic table tennis competitions are strictly prohibited from touching the table with hands or towels or blowing the ball. This new regulation may bring a lot of challenges to all players. The Tokyo Olympic table tennis competition will kick off on 24 July, 2021, and the mixed doubles Olympic history will be the first gold on 26 July 2021.

Australian table tennis communities wish Australian Olympic Table Tennis Team and Australian Paralympic Table Tennis Team have a safe trip and a successful competition at 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games

Michael Li wishes to gratefully acknowledge of Table Tennis New South Wales, Table Tennis Australia, Australian Olympic Committee and https://en.wikipedia.org/.