Jingoistic it may be but in 2012, the London Olympic Games made you proud to British.
Followed by the Paralympic Games, the two spectaculars combined to form a summer of unmitigated success; even the sun shone on one of the wettest years on record. Now, as the old year comes to a close it seems that every channel on British Television, every radio station is full of programmes reflecting on the events that lifted the nation spirits.
Legends were born and in the table tennis sphere, one man earned that accolade.
The name of Zhang Jike will stand the test of time; now he stands alongside the reats?of the sport and he is only 24 years old.
Only One
He became the only reigning Men Singles World champion to follow the success by clinching the Olympic crown; no-one else has ever achieved the feat.
In fact he is one of only two players to hold the two titles at the same time: Liu Guoliang won Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996 and the Men Singles crown at the World Champi**hips in Eindhoven three years later.
Prime Goal
Undoubtedly, in 2013 Zhang Jike prime goal will be to retain his Men Singles title at the LIEBHERR World Champi**hips in Paris to be staged from Monday 13th to Monday 20th May.
However is there another goal?
Complete Full House?
Can he become the only man ever to own the full house of what might be c**idered the World major titles ?Olympic champion, World champion, World Team Champi**hips winner, World Cup winner, World Team Cup winner and the ITTF World Tour Grand Finals gold medallist?
Just one title remains in order to complete the full set; Zhang Jike has never won the Men Singles title at the Grand Finals.
Starts in Wels
The search starts in Wels at the Austrian Open, the first ITTF World Tour Major Series of the $2,5000,000 year; he is the top seed in the Men Singles event. Play commences on Wednesday 23rd January and concludes on Sunday 27th January.
One elusive title; if he can qualify and then succeed in the Grand Finals, he will stand alone amongst the men; no man possesses a full house of gold.
So Near Yet So Far
Closest are Ma Lin and Wang Hao both have been deprived three times.
The elusive title for Ma Lin has been the Men Singles crown at a World Champi**hips, three times in the final (1999 Eindhoven, 2005 Shanghai, 2007 Zagreb) and three times denied.
Meanwhile, the be noire for Wang Hao is the Olympic Games, three times in the Men Singles final, three times the silver medallist (2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, 2012 London).
Gold in All Six
However, for Wang Hao, gold in the Men Team event at both the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games does mean he has won gold medals in all six prestigious events.
One Missing
Similarly for Jan-Ove Waldner and Liu Guoliang just one of the major titles remained elusive; neither ever struck Men Singles gold at the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals.
Just one missing and the situation also apples to Kong Linghui; he never secured the first prize in the World Team Cup. In 1995 in Atlanta he played alongside Ding Song, Liu Guoliang, Wang Tao and Xiong Ke. China finished in fifth place!
Great Success
Equally, despite three successes in the Men Singles event at the World Champi**hips, Wang Liqin could never succeed in the Men World Cup; Jgen Persson could never secure an Olympic medal, whilst despite spawning two Olympic Men Singles champi** in the guise of Yoo Namkyu and Ryu Seungmin, no Korean has ever been Men Singles World champion.
Note the Adversary
Now in 2013, Zhang Jike is just one step away from the complete set and just one thought.
The Men Singles titles at the Olympic Games, World Champi**hips and World Cup have all been won by Zhang Jike without ever facing Ma Long.
On the one occasion they met, the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals in 2011, Zhang Jike suffered defeat.
On Duty in Austria
At the ITTF World Tour Austrian Open, Ma Long is the no.2 seed; could be interesting.
翻译自国际乒联网站
2012年伦敦奥运会,最令人骄傲的无疑就是张继科了,这个名字是经得起考验的,这一年,他才24岁。
他成为唯一一个在获得奥运会冠军之后,成功卫冕男子单打世界冠军的人。
而刘国梁,在1996年亚特兰大奥运会上夺冠,在三年后在埃因霍温又获得男子单打冠军。
毫无疑问,在2013年,张继科的目标就是在2013年5月13日至20日在巴黎举办的利勃海尔世界冠军锦标赛上继续保持冠军。
在这条路上,王浩和马琳都被击败过三次,马琳是在1999年,2005年和2007年,王浩则是在2004年,2008年和2012年。
2013年,张继科离大满贯就仅仅一步之遥了,在2011年的国际乒联职业巡回赛总决赛,张继科曾经失败过,他也从来没有对阵过马龙,这一次他的对手就是马龙。
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