2023-11-01 00:52:01
SANTIAGO (AP) — Table tennis player Zeng Zhiying left China alone in search of adventure in 1989.
When his native country was shaken by street protests that culminated in the Tiananmen Square massacre that year, Zeng settled in northern Chile, near the Atacama Desert, dedicating himself to promoting table tennis.
More than three decades later, the 57-year-old woman, who in Chile is called Tania, is no longer alone. She has family and millions of Chileans who cheer her on at the Pan American Games in Santiago.
Zeng became famous in the Andean country overnight following winning 4 sets to 2 once morest the Dominican Eva Peña Brito in her debut in the singles tournament. She lost the first two sets, but turned the match around with the support of the public.
“I came for the grandmother of table tennis,” said Gustavo Ibarra, a 14-year-old Chilean fan before Zeng’s duel in the round of 16 with American Lily Ann Zhang on Tuesday. “Everyone in Chile wants to see her win. “She is a very humble aunt.”
Zeng is a mother of two children, but has no grandchildren. Chilean President Gabriel Boric became one of her new fans.
“Tremendous!” Boric wrote on his social networks following Zeng’s victory on Monday.
Zeng has lived most of his life in Iquique, a city near the Atacama Desert, 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) north of Santiago. After teaching table tennis lessons to local children for years, she opened a business that recently became her main source of employment.
Playing table tennis as a professional only crossed his mind during the pandemic. Very soon he joined the Chilean national team and now hopes to be part of the delegation that goes to the Olympic Games in Paris next year.
Zeng is currently among the top 150 in the table tennis rankings in the world.
“I’m fighting with everything, and a lot of people are there for me now. I feel very confident. Competing at that high level is something new for me,” Zeng said on Tuesday. “If I lose or win, if something doesn’t happen well, there’s no problem, people are supporting me in the same way. I didn’t expect it.
“I came because the Arica table tennis association, in the north, invited me. Then I moved to Iquique, my life is there. I am Chilean, I have no doubts,” Zeng added in fluent Spanish that she learned thanks to soap operas.
Now he prefers to watch Turkish TV series when he is at home.
On Tuesday, when she arrived to face the American Zhang, a standing ovation was heard at the Chilean Olympic Training Center, where the table tennis competitions are held. Zeng was unable to beat the American, who won 4-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-4 and 11-5), largely thanks to her greater speed and footwork.
Both had faced each other before. Zhang, 27, also took the win on that occasion.
“It’s an inspiration that a 57-year-old player is here with us, giving her best,” Zhang said following the match.
While Zhang calmly left to prepare for his next meetings, Zeng was busy giving autographs.
“I’m going to be a little sad regarding that defeat, but life goes on,” he commented. “That sport is the best thing for me, I’m happy every day because I’m in it.”
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