.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was actually populated along with vermillion ensigns, adding a glow to the currently orangey sky rising off the red clay-based court.These were Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" thousands of themu00e2 $" waving in boisterous assistance for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who would soon take gold through defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s singles ping pong final.As she put down on the dust, eyes skyward as well as fists expanded into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitation seemed to be to sign up: Zheng had just forged the type of record that extended far past the coliseum as well as the moment. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" and also Zheng had made no secret of the fact that the Olympics were as, or even even more, important to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic success on August 3.Photo: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our company always strongly believe a countryu00e2 $ s respect remains in face of personal success, u00e2 $ she claimed over an early morning conference at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete Property, put quietly in between the Stade de France and the Aquatics Centre in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis region, the time after her conquest. u00e2 $ I dealt with [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotional state, the match, the mentality: It experienced various than every other tournament Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began playing ping pong at age seven. At age 8, she relocated, without her mama as well as daddy, to Wuhan for much better mentoring, as well as due to the fact that adolescence she has deeply marvelled at and also mimicked Mandarin professional athletes, such as the tennis celebrity Li Na as well as the runner Liu Xiang, who gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually tough, u00e2 $ Zheng stated, recalling at those early times. u00e2 $ My mama utilized to come visit on weekend breaks. When she left behind, I will secure her lower leg and weep. When she was actually gone, I would certainly always keep her jacket. This was until I was actually thirteen. After 13, my mommy made a decision to quit her task as well as come visit me permanent, just to have far better growth and better care. Afterwards, it obtained simpler. And also our team relocated to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.