From China to Chile, Zeng Zhiying has witnessed her life transforming over the years.
At 58, the Chinese-Chilean made her Olympics debut under the Chile flag at Paris 2024. Her maiden participation at the Games did not last long as he was defeated by Mariana Sahakian in the first round of women’s single table tennis event but she can take plenty of pride in her journey.
Zhiying rose to fame in Chile after bagging a bronze medal at the Pan-American Games in Santiago last year after retiring from table tennis long-time ago. It was during the Covid-19 pandemic that she decided to move away from her family business and return to becoming an athlete all over again.
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“I never imagined (making it to the Olympic Games) because I took it up for entertainment, to do some sport,” Zeng said in an interview with The Associated Press at the country’s Olympic training center. “I gained confidence by playing a lot. Since I always won, I liked playing more and more.
“Qualifying for an Olympics is a big, gigantic dream, and being able to fulfill it at that age is a huge happiness,” said Zeng, the oldest athlete in her country’s delegation.
