L-R: Chen Meng, Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu of China celebrate with their gold medals after winning the table tennis women's team event final 3-0 over Japan at the Tokyo Olympics at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, August 5, 2021. /CFP
Chinese trio Chen Meng, Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu beat their Japanese rivals 3-0 in the women's team table tennis final at the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday, winning Team China's 34th gold medal.
Since 2008 in Beijing, China have never allowed another hand to touch the women's team event gold, sweeping all opponents 3-0 in the finals.
Chen Meng of China competes in the doubles match of the table tennis women's event final against Japan at the Tokyo Olympics, August 5, 2021. /CFP
Chen/Wang took on Kasumi Ishigawa/Miu Hirano in the first doubles match. Though the Chinese pair were caught off guard and lost the first game 11-9, they surged to claim three straight wins 11-6, 11-8 and 11-7, helping China lead 1-0 in the final.
Sun Yingsha of China competes in the singles match of the table tennis women's event final against Japan at the Tokyo Olympics, August 5, 2021. /CFP
The major contest of the final was the first singles match between Sun and Mima Ito. Sun swept Ito previously in the semifinal of the women's singles event.
Ito could hardly hold her own in front of Sun's explosive scoring ability. Sun took the first two games by scoring five and six-point runs, respectively. If Ito had not won the third game, it would have been a mirror image of the women's singles semifinal.
Sun did not leave Ito much chance in the last game and sealed her victory with an easy and solid 11-3.
Wang Manyu of China competes in the singles match of the table tennis women's event final against Japan at the Tokyo Olympics, August 5, 2021. /CFP
The second singles match after China led 2-0 between Wang and Hirano almost became a bully match. Hirano only put up some resistance in the second game but that did not keep her from losing 3-0 (11-5, 11-9 and 11-3).
"Since I only attended the doubles match, I felt like I sponged a title with my young teammates," said Chen after the final.
"The doubles victory put us on the right track," said Sun. "I really enjoyed meeting Ito twice in the Olympics."
"I haven't played enough, I want to play more," said Wang.
