Chinese table tennis player addresses racket incident, reflects on Olympic experience

In response to the accidental breaking of his racket after the table tennis mixed doubles final at Paris Olympics, Chinese table tennis player Wang Chuqin spoke out in a live-stream on Tuesday, admitting that he felt a mix of anger and helplessness at that moment, but the incident did not contribute to his later loss in the men's singles.

"When my racket broke, I was really upset and felt a bit angry and helpless. We had just won the championship and were celebrating when it happened. That racket had seen me through many championships, and even though there isn't much difference between the new and old one, it was a source of comfort for me," Wang recalled. "But the singles loss was mainly due to my own performance, not the broken racket."

Wang also discussed the physical and mental toll of competing in multiple events - mixed doubles, singles and team - at the Olympics, noting that it was more challenging than he had anticipated.

"I've played in all three events before, but the physical and mental exhaustion from the Olympics was beyond anything I had ever experienced. I couldn't recover in time, and the fatigue affected my ability to perform at a hundred percent," Wang said.

During the mixed doubles final on July 30, Wang and his partner Sun Yingsha clinched the gold medal by defeating the North Korean pair Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong. However, during the post-match photo session, a journalist stepped on Wang's racket, breaking it. 

Despite the incident, Wang maintained in a post-match interview that the incident was unintentional and that he could still perform well with his backup racket. Unfortunately, he lost in the men's singles event the following day.

Both Wang and Sun, along with their coaches Xiao Zhan and Qiu Yike, have since addressed several key points in recent live-streams. 

Reflecting on the mixed doubles final, Sun explained her decision to take a memorable photo with the athletes from North Korea and South Korea, saying, "The Olympics only come around once every four years, and no one knows what the next four years will bring. I wanted to capture this beautiful moment."

Sun shared her feelings about participating in the Olympic closing ceremony, where she had the honor of representing Asia in blowing out the Olympic Flame and she expressed deep gratitude to her coach, Qiu, for his support throughout the experience.

Looking ahead, Sun plans to take some time off to recover before gradually preparing for upcoming competitions. 

"It's still a bit early to think about the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics or whether I'll be competing there. It's four years away, but as long as I remain determined and continue chasing my dreams, I believe I can compete in Los Angeles," Sun said.

Wang's colorful headband, which caught the attention of many spectators, was also addressed during the livestream. He explained that the headband was worn to absorb sweat and prevent it from affecting his grip, not as a way of acting cool. He clarified that the colors don't have any special meaning, except for red, which represents Team China.

Swedish player Kristian Karlsson once described Wang: "He's funny, open and speaks good English" in an interview with Swedish Newspaper Sportbladet. Wang responded modestly, admitting that his English isn't that good, but he can manage a few sentences. 

"We were all preparing in the same place and have faced each other many times, so I frequently interacted with players from other countries during the Olympics," Wang said.