Table Tennis at the Summer Olympic Games 2020

Totallympics · February 23, 2021

Table Tennis at the Summer Olympic Games 2020

Tokyo (JPN) - 24 July 2021 - 6 August 2021

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hckošice · July 5, 2021

Team Slovakia :SVK

3 (2+1)

MEN'S

Singles: Wang Yang

WOMEN'S

Singles: Barbora Balážová

MIXED EVENTS

Mixed Doubles: Barbora Balážová/Ľubomír Pištej

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Other Sports Introductions

Archery, Athletics, Boxing, Badminton, Canoeing Slalom, Canoeing Sprint, Road Cycling, Golf, Artistic Gymnastics, Shooting, Swimming, Tennis, Wrestling

Slovakia will participate in Table Tennis for the 4th time since the independence and 2nd time in a row. And just like in Rio 5 years ago with the same amount of 3 players, 2 of them returning.

Atlanta 96 (1), Beijing 08 (1), Rio 16 (3) & Tokyo 2020 (3)

Wang Yang and Barbora Balážová will return to the games for the second time after their Rio olympic debut. Tokyo will be first careers Olympics for Ľubomír Pištej.

The 30 years old Wang Yang, Naturalized Chinese, is citizen of Slovakia from 25th May 2011.

In that year, he was accused at the Junior World Championships of being 4 years older and had to withdraw from the competition. Later he managed to clear himself and prove his age. Later, the International Table Tennis Federation in fact recognized Wang's age after confirmations from the Chinese authorities, and successful confirmating blood density test.

Wang Yang debuted at the Olympics for Slovakia in Rio 2016 (For London 2012 he was the first reserve, but without any returned quota, he and Slovakia missed the Games) after a bye in the preliminary Round he defeated Marcos Madrid of Mexico 4-1 in the 1st round but sadly lost to future quarterfinalist Quadri Aruna from Nigeria in round 2 (1-4)

Wang Yang secured his spot to Tokyo as first Slovak Table Tennis representative by winning one of the 4 quotas at the World Qualifying Tournament in Qatar earlier this year.

Barbora Balážová, 29 years Slovak Table Tennis ladies number 1 of the last years is also going to return to the Olympics after her debut in Rio 2016. "Barbi" won her opener game after the bye in the pre-round, 4-0 over Yadira Silva of Mexico. But just like Wang among mens lost in the 2nd round after a never-ending thriller to Li Fen of Sweden 3-4.

This time, she is going to compete in 2 different events, apart the W Singles in which she qualified easily from World Ranking, she will play alongside her long time doubles partner Pištej in the very first Olympics Table Tennis Mixed Doubles competition.

Ľubomír Pištej is the only debuting Olympian in our Table Tennis delegation, a bit odd, since he is the oldest player (38) and most experienced currently active slovak table tennis player. In Tokyo he will play with Barbora Balážová in the Mixed Doubles Olympic premiere. Fresh European Championships silver medalist from last week in Poland, Balážová/Pištej will be seeded as number 6 for the 1st round (Round of 16).

One last fun fact.

Balážová/Pištej were selected :SVK sport persons of the month June 2021 (in the Slovak national public RTVS monthly - niké športovec mesiaca - show) so are the last SVK athletes before the Olympics with this precious award.