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Zhiying Zeng, known as Tania in Chile, was a member of China’s professional youth table tennis team in the 70s but retired in 1986 at the age of 20.
Overwhelmed by the introduction of the ‘two-colour rule,’ which required bi-colour paddles, she decided to bow out, according to The Guardian.
Born in 1966 in Guangzhou, China, Zeng was raised in a family passionate about table tennis.
Her mother, a table tennis coach, trained her until she was 9. Zeng swiftly climbed the ranks, winning numerous regional tournaments and becoming a junior national champion.
By age 16, she was part of the Chinese national team. However, the rule change significantly impacted her game, leading her to retire early.
In 1989, a school in Chile invited Zeng to become a table tennis coach, a move that changed her life.
She resumed playing a few years later, winning national-level tournaments in 2004 and 2005, but paused her career again when her son started playing the sport.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zeng bought a table tennis table to stay active during Chile’s lockdown. She entered local tournaments when restrictions lifted and by 2023 was the highest-ranked women’s player in the country. She joined Chile’s national team and qualified to represent them at the 2024 Olympic Games.
At 57, Zeng became a sensation at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, earning her spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Though she lost to Lebanon’s Mariana Sahakian in the preliminary rounds, her journey to the Olympics remains inspirational.
“My dad was able to see his daughter qualify for the Olympics,” Zeng said. “He used to take me to training and matches when I was a girl and now at 57, I made it. I made it.”
Reflecting on her Olympic debut, Zeng said, “I don’t feel very sad because this is sport. My husband, my sons, everyone I love and care about were there shouting my name. I feel so content.”