Beijing 2008 Olympic

Our first medal in 48 years.

http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/tabletennis/n214547045.shtml

Table Tennis Day 3 Review: Singapore enters final to face unstoppable China
Updated: 2008-08-15 23:16:25

(BEIJING, August 15) -- On Day 3 of the Table Tennis tournament, the semifinals ended with two teams, China and Singapore, marching into Sunday’s final. In the bronze medal play-offs Austria and Hong Kong China's Men's Teams and Japan and United States’ Women’s Teams qualified for the next round.

In a grueling semifinal duel that lasted an incredible three hours and 13 minutes and went the full five-match distance, Singapore defeated Korea for a place in the final of the Women's Team Table Tennis event.

For Chinese national Liu Guodong, Singapore's head coach, who happens to be the brother of the head coach of the Chinese Men’s team, Liu Guoliang, it was a case of mission accomplished.

Liu's stated goal was the Silver medal. He said before the tournament that China was so strong he had not even studied their team.

The Silver medal is now assured for Singapore which will end their 48-year-long void of Olympic medals.

As far as the Chinese Women’s team is concerned, no contest should be treated lightly and no rival should be discounted. Zhang Yining, World No. 1 and a member of the Chinese team, shared her thoughts on the final after the team’s easy win over Hong Kong: “Judging from their [Singapore’s] matches today, they will prove to be very aggressive opponents with good technical skills. We will not be conservative. Whoever plays conservatively will lose."