On May 15, the Chinese Table Tennis Association announced the list of women's singles, women's team, men's team and P card for the Paris Olympics. There is no doubt about the selection of the men's team, but the real focus is on the selection of the women's team. Whether Wang Manyu or Chen Meng is the second women's singles player, fans on both sides are arguing. However, Chen Meng has secured a ticket to the Olympics, and supporters are naturally confident.
The focus of this list is on the P card, which is full of controversy. As we all know, Wang Manyu's rise stemmed from obtaining an Olympic P card. When Liu Shiwen retired from injury, Wang Manyu was ordered to be in danger and became famous in a fight. Now, who will spend the P card has become the focus of fans' attention. Is it for Wang Yidi and Chen Xingtong, or for the new stars Qian Tianyi and Kuo Man?
Wang Yidi has lost consecutive foreign wars recently, and the women's singles qualification is urgent, and it seems more reasonable to give Chen Xingtong a P card. After all, she had just defeated Sun Yingsha. However, unexpectedly, the Table Tennis Association finally awarded the P card to Wang Yidi as a consolation prize. According to the rules, P card players need to have excellent doubles ability and comprehensive strength, and the coaching staff unanimously agreed that Wang Yidi is more suitable.
Chen Xingtong missed the P card, which is regrettable. That means the 27-year-old missed out on her closest chance at the Olympics. At the next Olympics, she will be 31 years old, and with her current strength and ranking, the chances of another miracle are slim. There is a high probability that they will not be able to participate in the Olympics.
Although he failed to bloom in the Olympic arena, Chen Xingtong ushered in new opportunities. Her arrival in her new position was a pleasant surprise. Recently, Chen Xingtong was invited to attend the WTT event and appeared at the Saudi Arabia meeting as a table tennis promotion officer. Her temperament like a little girl next door has won many fans, not only promoting table tennis, but also patiently taking photos with fans from all over the world. She was also interviewed by Saudi television.
As an athlete, being invited to WTT and Saudi TV is an affirmation of her strength, fame and attention. As a table tennis promotion officer for the first time, her performance will influence the development and reputation of table tennis at home and abroad. At the beginning, I was worried that there were few fans on the scene, but as a result, many fans at home and abroad cheered the scene, and Chen Xingtong's influence should not be underestimated. Previously, Sun Yingsha was also invited by WTT to serve as a table tennis promotion officer and image ambassador. Now, Chen Xingtong is equal to Sun Yingsha's level.
Many fans are curious, how much can Chen Xingtong get paid for attending this kind of event? In fact, there are no appearance or endorsement fees for such official events. For Chen Xingtong, serving as a table tennis promotion officer is a public welfare activity aimed at promoting table tennis, and remuneration is not her pursuit. Although Chen Xingtong and Qian Tianyi did not qualify for the Olympics, their hard work on the field still won the praise of fans. The results of the women's team this time are gratifying, and coach Ma Lin is very pleased. Several female athletes did an excellent job of competing in the competition.