Chen Jing

Chen Jing is the only Olympian to have won Olympic medals for both the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China, which competes as Chinese Taipei at the Olympics. When table tennis débuted at the Olympics in 1988, the Chinese did not field their highest ranked players, giving Chen a chance at a medal. She waltzed through the field, not losing a single game until the final, in which she defeated fellow Chinese Li Huifen, 3-2. She picked up a second medal in the doubles, winning silver with Jiao Zhimin, the individual bronze medallist. Chen also won four medals at the 1989 World Championships, bronze in the singles, silver in the doubles, bronze in the mixed doubles, and gold with the Chinese team. It would be her final medals competing for the People’s Republic. In 1991, she started training in Taiwan, and settled there the following year. She won her first international prize at the 1993 Worlds, earning a silver. In Atlanta, she competed for her new nation, and defeated favorite Qiao Hong to reach the final. There she played the defending champion, Deng Yaping. The match was interrupted at 2-0 for Deng, as a Taiwanese supporter carrying the national flag – not allowed by IOC rules as the nation competes as Chinese Taipei – was removed by police. Chen then rallied to tie the game at 2-2, but eventually lost 3-2. In Sydney, 2000, she would again medal, earning a bronze to gain a full collection of Olympic medals. Chen, also a medallist at the 1997 (mixed doubles) and 2000 Worlds (team), retired after the Sydney Games. She has since completed her studies as a sports psychologist, and has returned to the Chinese mainland to work for the national table tennis team.