Seoul '88: China Missed The First Olympic Gold (Videos)

Table tennis is the national sport of China. In international competitions, China has already earned numerous titles. However, it was only in 1988 where table tennis was first introduced into the Olympic family. And in that ocassion China failed to grasp their first Olympic experience.

The Chinese Olympic delegates actually targeted all four gold medals in the first Olympic table tennis event in history. In the men's division, China sent their top-ranked players Jiang Jialiang (1985 and 1987 World Champion), Chen Longcan and Xu Zengcai with the hope of being the first Olympic champion.

However, at the Round 16, the Chinese Olympic delegation was already one man down after Xu Zengcai lost against the South Korean Kim Ki Taek. It was a very painful defeat for Xu who easily got a 2-0 lead. Kim returned for the third set with a recovery plan. Eventually, he gained momentum from a 16-2 score in the third set and leveled in 2-2. This time, Xu Zengcai was not able to come back into the match and lost the quarterfinal place by 2-3. With this result Kim Ki Taek advanced to Quarterfinals where he defeated then World Championship runner-up Jan-Ove Waldner on his way to the semifinals.

Kim Ki Taek vs Jan-Ove Waldner - 1988 Seoul Olympics Quaterfinals
Video kindly shared by ChichoFicho

Xu's defeat left the Chinese Team with just two players: Jiang Jialiang and Chen Longcan. Looking from the standings and achievemnts, the 24-year old Jiang Jialiang was expected to surpass the hurdle victoriously. However, the Olympics was just too cruel for him.

Jiang Jialiang vs Erik Lindh - 1988 Seoul Olympics I
video kindly shared by pingpongstadiums8

Jiang Jialiang vs Erik Lindh - 1988 Seoul Olympics II
video kindly shared by pingpongstadiums8

Against the Swede Erik Lindh, Jiang Jialiang was not able to have the perfect mental strength for the competition and his true level of performance did not come out. Eventually, the 1987 world champion failed to book his place in the semifinals losing 1-3 against the Sweden's player.

At age 24, Jiang Jialiang ended his golden athletic career. The six-time world champion eventually had just one Olympic experience, probably giving him regrets and bitterness.

You can now imagine how much pressure the last Chinese man standing in the arena had after his teammates fell along the way. Chen Longcan faced Hungary's Legend Tibor Klampar in the quarterfinals. Surprisingly, Klampar came prepared against the high quality attacks of the Chinese player. At the end, Chen Longcan lost by 2-3 against the Hungary player.

At that time, Chen Longcan was known to be Yoo Nam Kyu's nemesis. If Chen survived his quarterfinal match and reached the finals, then the history could have been written differently. 

Yoo Nam Kyu vs Kim Ki Taek - 1988 Seoul Olympics Final
video kindly shared by 109eh

Eventually, it was South Korea who dominated the most important event in table tennis. the Men Singles. Yoo Nam Kyu and Kim Ki Taek got the gold and silver medals respectively, leaving the bronze for Eric Lindh of Sweden. In the first Olympic table tennis event, China failed in its quest for the Olympic medal, a very rare scene in table tennis nowadays.

Photo source: 2008.qq.com