Daily Times

Chinese success in Paris is virtually guaranteed with the likes of Chen Yufei leading the charge but high rankings do not necessarily translate into medals at the Olympics, where the pressure to perform is unlike any other competition.

The Tokyo Games three years ago delivered a series of dramatic upsets, near misses and high emotions — from Guatemalan Kevin Cordon’s stunning run to the semi-finals to the early exit of Japanese top seed Kento Momota.

Not one top-ranked player or pair won gold in Tokyo. In fact, in the men’s singles and doubles and women’s doubles, the favourites did not medal at all. “China has the potential to win all five medals, but anything can happen at the Olympics,” Charmaine Reid, who competed at the Athens Games in 2004, told Reuters. “It’s a different pressure at the Olympic Games for sure,” the Canadian added. “I’ve seen some people go out that have never lost a match over the years and then, often, you know, lose in the second round.”

China swept the board in London in 2012 but countries like India, Japan, Spain and Denmark started seriously challenging the status quo in Rio, where China won only two golds and a bronze. That was their lowest haul at an Olympics for 20 years but the country rallied in Tokyo with six medals, including Chen’s women’s singles gold and Chen Long’s men’s singles silver.