Adham Sharara, president of the International Table TennisFederation, was speaking after China sealed their second straight clean sweepof all four table tennis gold medals for the second Games running. "Theyare the best technically, as they have always been," he said. "Andthey are the best technologically, with combinations of blades and rubbers. Andnow they are the best physically too. That used to be the Europeans. "Mentallythey are not the strongest, because they have been so much better in thoseother three areas that it doesn't really matter. Even at 70 percent they are 10percent better than the rest.
He added: "China also won every medal in diving and inbadminton -- and this is just the beginning. Technically they will soon be verystrong in every sport." China have in fact won only five out of six divingfinals so far, although they won all five of the badminton gold medals for thefirst time. Sharara, who has previously described China's pre-eminence as"devastating" for table tennis, urged the team to pass on theirexpertise to rival nations. The world body changed its rules for the LondonOlympics to allow only two singles players per country, after China won everyindividual medal going in Beijing. Since table tennis joined the Olympicprogramme in 1988, China have won 24 out of 28 gold medals.
