By Su Bin, Yue Ranran and He Leijing
PARIS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes. But when people refer to Ma Long, captain of the all-leading Chinese table tennis team, few words may pop up other than "GOAT" (Greatest of All Time).
The accolade was solidified by China's triumph in the men's team event at Paris 2024 on Friday, as it handed Ma his sixth Olympic gold medal, the most ever among Chinese athletes. 35-year-old "Captain Long" has broken a tie in the golden haul with divers Wu Minxia and Chen Ruolin, and gymnast Zou Kai.
Having already achieved a career Grand Slam of the Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup twice, along with other major titles in the Asian Games, Asian Championships, Asian Cup and China's National Games under his name, Ma was undisputedly hailed as the greatest paddler of all time.
"His haul of five Olympic gold medals, combined with three singles world titles and the record for the longest reign at number one in the world rankings, leaves no doubt: Ma Long is the undisputed greatest table tennis player in history," read an article on the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) website ahead of the Paris Olympics.
As the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) announced the team's roster for the Paris Olympics in May, Ma was listed as one of the participants in the team event, meaning that he was set for his fourth Olympic appearance. Meanwhile, it left many fans disappointed that the veteran would miss the opportunity of defending his singles crown.
During the Paris Olympic cycle, Ma's teammates Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong stood out as China's main contenders in the singles event, ranking top two for a long period, and the duo finally secured the two berths for the event in Paris.
Ma saw his "missed chance" with a positive mindset.
"Considering my capability and form at the current stage, I found it difficult to shoulder the mission of competing in the singles event at the Olympic Games. Also, Fan and Wang deserve the singles spots given their performances in recent years," he explained.
But it doesn't mean Ma is ready to be just an onlooker, and it has proved on multiple occasions that he still has a lot of gas left in his tank.
At the Asian Championships in PyeongChang, South Korea in September 2023, Ma regained the singles championship after a decade and also became the first male player to have won it on four occasions, after his successes in 2009, 2012 and 2013. After winning his first singles title in two years, he was found in tears at the award ceremony.
Also at the ITTF World Cup this year, Ma once again defied age and the odds, staging a marvelous comeback from 0-3 down to upset his teammate Lin Gaoyuan, winning the tournament's title after nine years.
"I want to thank myself for never giving up," Ma noted after capturing his 30th world title.
Ma embraced his Paris Olympics debut on the 11th day after the opening ceremony, as he paired up with Wang Chuqin in the doubles to lead the way in China's 3-0 victory over India.
However, Ma has been under the spotlight since the very first day of the Games, as he was one of China's two flagbearers at the opening ceremony.
"It is not only my personal pride, but also the glory to our table tennis team through generations. Table tennis is not just a sport, but also a story and a song of long-time dedication," he reflected.
With four wins in doubles matches along with Wang, Ma completed his mission in Paris with a perfect winning record.
In the men's singles event, however, Ma's reaction on the stands reminded people of how much he cherished this title.
In Fan Zhendong's 4-3 comeback victory over Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto in the quarterfinal, Ma was captured red-rimmed when Fan trailed 0-2. Taking Wang Chuqin's early exit into consideration, it could be costly for team China if Fan were eliminated.
Many people interpreted it as Ma's empathy toward Fan, as Ma himself had faced a similar situation in his round of 16 match against Jeoung Young-sik of South Korea at Rio 2016.
Liu Guoliang, then chief coach of China's table tennis team, accompanied Ma to change his shirt during the break, before Ma won the next four games to achieve a comeback win.
Eight years later, down by two games, Fan, accompanied by his coach Wang Hao, changed into a dry shirt before returning to the court. The Chinese paddler managed to prevail over Harimoto in a seven-game thriller and eventually stood on top of the podium to become the 11th player overall to have achieved a career Grand Slam.
Years of hard work and dedication has elevated Ma to the pinnacle of table tennis for over a decade, while his love for the sport and perseverance helps in keeping him among the best until now.
After China's win against India, an American journalist asked Ma, "Why do you love table tennis so much?"
"It has been accompanying me for over 30 years, and I have a lasting passion for it. Thanks to table tennis, people know me, and it has brought me a lot of respect, glory and help, and many memorable and thrilling moments as well, so I find no reason of not loving it," Ma answered.
After helping China stand on the highest podium at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in Busan, South Korea in February, Ma said emotionally, "In my last match of the World Championships, I think it is perfect for me to cap my campaign in the tournament in a winning way."
Besides his illustrious playing career, Ma has captivated the world and won fans' hearts with his humbleness and approachable nature. Without any controversies out of the playing field, he has been deemed as a role model by many paddlers of younger generations.
The aforementioned American journalist was curious about how Ma would introduce himself to those who may not know him well.
"First, I will say that I'm a Chinese table tennis player," Ma responded. "If you love table tennis or know it, you will surely know that it's quite popular in China and the Chinese team is the best around the world. So it's enough."
In recognition of his extraordinary achievement of winning the men's singles world title three consecutive times in 2015, 2017 and 2019, Ma was awarded a replica of the historical St. Bride Vase Trophy at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa in 2023.
But compared to "legend" or "Grand Slam winner", Ma would prefer that people call him the "Captain Long".
"It's a great honor to be the captain of the Chinese table tennis team. Moreover, it's closer to my role as an athlete," he noted.
"In recent years, I have thought countless times about how I will conclude my last match. At this age, I can get over everything well with a calm mindset," he said.
