.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier was dotted along with vermillion streamers, including a glow to the already orangey sky originating off the red clay-based court.These were actually Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" hundreds of themu00e2 $" swaying in lively help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that will quickly take gold through defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s songs ping pong final.As she lay down on the dust, eyes skyward and fists prolonged in to the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force seemed to be to register: Zheng had merely built the sort of record that prolonged much past the arena and also the second. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had made obvious of the simple fact that the Olympics were as, if not even more, important to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic triumph on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our company always feel a countryu00e2 $ s tribute remains in front end of personal excellence, u00e2 $ she claimed over a morning meeting at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete Property, put discreetly between the Stade de France and the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis location, the day after her victory. u00e2 $ I alleviated [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotional state, the fight, the attitude: It experienced different than every other tournament Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started participating in ping pong at grow older seven. At age eight, she relocated, without her mama and father, to Wuhan for far better mentoring, and also since adolescence she has actually deeply appreciated and also imitated Mandarin athletes, including the ping pong star Li Na and also the runner Liu Xiang, that gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually challenging, u00e2 $ Zheng said, recalling at those early days. u00e2 $ My mommy utilized to follow check out on weekends. When she left, I will secure her lower leg and weep. When she was actually gone, I will consistently hold her jacket. This was until I was 13. After 13, my mommy made a decision to stop her job and also come stick with me full-time, merely to possess better development and better care. Afterwards, it got much easier. As well as we relocated to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.