At the upcoming Paris Olympics, the bold words of Japan's rising table tennis star Miwa Haramoto have attracted widespread attention. The 15-year-old confidently declared in an interview that she would win her "first gold medal" at the Olympics. The remarks not only sparked heated discussions among fans, but also stirred up a trace of concern among Chinese table tennis fans.
Zhang Benmeihe's self-confidence is not groundless. Thanks to the well-developed training plan of the Japan Table Tennis Association, she has successfully entered the Japanese women's team and qualified for the Olympic P card. However, despite her rising status in the Japanese team, her record is still far from that of the team's senior players. The achievements of veterans such as Hina Hayata, Misei Ito and Miu Hirano are still unattainable peaks for Miwa Zhangmoto.
In the Busan World Table Tennis Team Championships, although Miwa Zhang participated in the competition, he did not make a decisive contribution to the victory of the Japanese team. Even so, she was confident in her own strength and even showed a contemptuous attitude towards the Chinese women's team. However, against the three main players of the Chinese team, Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng and Wang Manyu, Zhang Benmeihe has not been able to achieve a victory so far, which undoubtedly casts a shadow over her prospects of winning gold at the Paris Olympics.
The fans' concerns are rightly founded. In addition to Miwa Zhangmoto, the Japanese team currently seems to lack players who can compete with the main team of the Chinese team. If the Japan Table Tennis Association cannot produce more excellent players, Japanese table tennis may face greater challenges in the future Olympic Games. Miwa Zhang's self-confidence is certainly commendable, but if she wants to achieve real success on the international stage, she needs more down-to-earth hard work and proof of strength. At the same time, the Japan Table Tennis Association should also pay attention to the cultivation of overall strength to ensure the sustainable development of Japanese table tennis.
While Zhang Benmeihe's bold words have attracted widespread attention, the Chinese table tennis team is also preparing for the upcoming WTT Saudi Arabia Grand Slam. This event is not only an important stop for the Chinese table tennis team to prepare for the Paris Olympics, but also a key event for the selection of the Olympic squad. The tournament will be held in Saudi Arabia from 1 to 11 May and will cover a wide range of events including mixed doubles, women's doubles, men's doubles, women's singles and men's singles.
The list of participants of the Chinese table tennis team has been announced, including male players such as Wang Chuqin, Fan Zhendong, Liang Jingkun, Ma Long, Lin Gaoyuan, Lin Shidong, and female players such as Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu, Wang Yidi, Chen Meng, Chen Xingtong and Qian Tianyi. It is particularly worth mentioning that Qian Tianyi will participate in the women's singles event and become the focus of attention.
The winner of the WTT Saudi Arabia Grand Slam will receive 2,000 points and a total prize fund of $2 million, which is undoubtedly a huge incentive for the players. It is expected that from May 12 to 15, the list of Chinese table tennis teams to participate in the Paris Olympics will be announced, the mixed doubles and men's team rosters will be relatively stable, while the women's team roster may change. The performances of Wang Yidi, Chen Xingtong and Qian Tianyi will be key in deciding who will be the substitutes for the women's team.
In the men's singles, there is little change in the roster, while in the women's singles, there is fierce competition between Chen Meng and Wang Manyu, who will be in contention for a singles spot. The WTT Saudi Arabia Grand Slam will be the final test of the Chinese table tennis team and will also add a suspense to the Paris Olympics. We look forward to the excellent results of the Chinese table tennis team in Saudi Arabia and lay a solid foundation for the upcoming Olympic Games.