Ten Days to Go: The Mighty & Mild Start on Equal Footing

2016 Olympic Games
Courtesy of ITTF

Announced on Friday October 2, 2009 as the host nation for the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, now on Wednesday July 27th, we are just ten days away from the first ball being struck in anger in the table tennis events in Riocentro Pavilion 3 in Barra da Tijuca, a neighborhood in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro.

Four tables in action, the focus is on those players who have been required to battle through the continental qualification tournaments; those when the last point was won, were transported into sheer delight.

The goal had been achieved, for ever more they can inscribe on their curriculum vitae, the word “Olympian”.

Promote Chosen Sport
However, there is more; especially for the likes of Fiji’s 14 year old Sally Yee who will be competing in the Women’s Singles event and Vanuatu’s 22 year old Yoshua Shing, who as four years ago in London will be in action in the Men’s Singles competition.

They represent countries that have never ever won a medal at the Olympic Games, they give their chosen sport a major boost in their home country by just being present in the theatre of dreams.

Level Terms
Also they start on an equal footing with players from the country that has won the greatest number of medals at an Olympic Games.

A total of 26 Summer Olympic Games, the United States has won a staggering 2,399 medals (976 gold, 757 silver, 666 bronze); no country has won more than the United States;

In Rio de Janeiro, the goal in the Men’s Singles event for 16 year old Kanak Jha and 18 year old Feng Yijun wearing the badge of the Stars and Stripes is just the same as it is for Yoshua Shing. It is no different for Lily Zhang and Wu Yue in the Women’s Singles competition; they start on even terms with Sally Yee.

The Goal
The task is to negotiate the opening day, the day on which the preliminary and first rounds of both the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events will be completed.

Furthermore, as in London four years ago, there is no room for error; all events are organized on the knock-out principle.

It is a far cry from the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, when table tennis made its debut and the first stage saw players drawn into an initial event that had eight players in each group; everyone participated.

Three Levels
Now in Rio de Janeiro the situation is much different, players ranked no.1 to no.16 commence matters in round three; those ranked no.17 to no.32 in round two.

For the remainder, the players listed no.33 onwards, they must compete on the initial day of action; the day which will see the preliminary and first rounds of the Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events completed.

Seeding
The seeding will be determined by the World Ranking lists published on Monday August 1st.

2016 Olympic Games
Aug 6 – 17, 2016
Rio de Janeiro, BRA

Confirmed Players July Ranking List
Confirmed Teams’ July Ranking List

For more information visit:
ITTF.com
Rio2016.com