According to media reports on August 9, 12-year-old Syrian table tennis player Hend Zaza is the first Syrian table tennis player to win an Olympic seat through the qualification tournament, the youngest participant in the Tokyo Olympic Games, and the youngest table tennis player in the history of the Olympic Games.
Zaza said he wanted to train in China, "Nothing can stop my dream." I want to be an Olympic champion like Ding Ning and Malone and prove to the world that we can do it."
The story of 12-year-old women's table tennis player Hendzaza at the Tokyo Olympics touched many people.
Hailing from war-torn Syria, she was the youngest table tennis player at the Tokyo Olympics. Although she failed to qualify in her Olympic debut, she has made history. When the Chinese Olympic Committee learned about Zaza's situation, it invited her to China for training. If all goes well, Zaza will travel to China in September this year
Hend zaza, 12, is the first athlete in Syrian history to compete in an Olympic table tennis tournament.
On July 24, Zaza lost 0:4 at the Olympics to Liu Jia, a 39-year-old Chinese-Austrian athlete. The 12-year-old girl shed tears on the spot " This is a lesson, I hope to win, to dedicate the victory to my motherland." I hope that in the 2024 Olympic Games, I can get stronger, I can gain something, and my goal is to be an Olympic champion" "I am very much looking forward to going to China and receiving the same training as Chinese athletes." This allows for continuous improvement. I hope to reach the level of Chinese players. My dream is to be as strong as the Chinese players, I love China."
Mentioning idol Ding Ning, Zaza's eyes lit up: "Ding Ning of the Chinese team is my favorite table tennis player. She was always polite, friendly and kind to people. Hopefully, one day I can be like Ding Ning. Table tennis is really very interesting. Playing table tennis is the most important thing in my life. I want to be an Olympic champion and will continue to hold out until my dreams are realized."
Going to Tokyo for the Olympics was a gift to Syria and her parents. In 2011, the Syrian civil war broke out. At the time, Zaza was only 2 years old. Later, the war continued to spread
For as long as I can remember, Zaza has not been able to go to school normally, nor can he go out to play at will. At the age of 5, Zaza began practicing table tennis with his older brother. In her war-torn childhood, hiding in the house and playing ball became her only spiritual comfort. Even when the training ground was cut off, heated and not ventilated, Zaza never gave up training. "Table tennis has given me everything and taught me to be a strong and confident person", Zaza's coach said with great regret after this Tokyo Olympic games, "Due to the war in Syria, training funds are limited In the past few years, Zaza has only been able to participate in international competitions 3 times a year. Her competition experience is relatively lacking, but her strength should not be underestimated."
In February 2020, Zaza represented Syria in the ITTF West Asia Olympic Trials. At the age of 11, she won the women's singles title with four wins in five games and qualified for the Tokyo Olympics
"Over the past five years, I have experienced a lot of difficulties because of the war and the postponement of Olympic-related funding. But I want to say to everyone in the same situation as I am, no matter what the difficult situation is. Work hard for your dreams and you will eventually achieve your goals. May the little white ball in your hand convey the message of peace to everyone."
(Original title: 12-year-old Syrian girl's table tennis dream: want to become an Olympic champion like Ding Ning Malone)
Source: Beiwan New Visual Synthesis People's Daily Weibo CCTV News