Former Olympic champion is in a different class

Twenty-five years ago, when 10-year-old Ding Ning started training at Beijing's Xiannongtan Sports School, the table tennis talent could hardly have imagined returning one day as the school's principal.

China's 15th National Games, co-hosted by Guangdong province and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao last month, marked the first time former Olympic champion Ding attended a major sports event as a Beijing school principal and a team official rather than as a paddler.

"Every step counts in chasing dreams," the 35-year-old said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

In the Games' table tennis men's team final on Nov 20, veteran Ma Long claimed victories in both singles and doubles to help Beijing defeat Shanghai 3-1.

After winning his last point of the tournament, the 37-year-old raised his arms to celebrate and enjoy the moment, letting the bat naturally drop from his hands.

Ding was among the crowd at Macao's Galaxy Arena, cheering for her former teammate.

"I learned to play table tennis and grew up together with Ma at Xiannongtan Sports School. His celebration on the court touched me a lot," Ding recalled.

"Beijing's three players competing in the men's team final — Ma Long, Wang Chuqin and Huang Youzheng — represent the veterans, middle-aged paddlers and rising stars, respectively."

"The Games might be the end of his era, but Ma has carried forward his love and passion for table tennis to influence the younger generations," Ding remarked.

The intense, high-level contests at the Games brought back memories of Ding's own playing days. From 2005 to 2017, she competed at four consecutive editions of the National Games, winning titles in women's singles, mixed doubles and the women's team event.

On the international stage, Ding was a three-time Olympic gold medalist. Her singles triumph at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games made her the fifth Chinese female paddler to complete a career Grand Slam — winning at the Olympic Games, world championships and World Cup — after Deng Yaping, Wang Nan, Zhang Yining and Li Xiaoxia.

"The matches witnessed my happiness and disappointment with sweat and tears. It was inevitable to feel pressure at that time. But looking back now, I appreciate every moment in my career. All my past experiences accumulated to shape who I am today," said Ding, who kept chasing her dream from her hometown Daqing in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, to the capital city of Beijing and beyond.

After retiring in 2021, Ding pursued a master's degree at Peking University and, upon graduating in 2023, became a lecturer in the university's Department of PE, which broadened her understanding of table tennis and sports in general. In 2024, she was elected Chair of the Olympic Council of Asia Athletes' Committee.

"To study at Peking University was always a target for me. Campus life is really nice," Ding said. "I tried to combine my playing experience with related theories in my study, which has been helpful in my work that followed.

"Sports and education complement each other. Doing exercises can bring us direct benefits, such as improving physical fitness and making new friends, while sports activities require an in-depth participation to better achieve the goals of education," Ding noted.

Ding believes that sports competitions can cultivate people's courage to confront challenges, persistence in dealing with difficulties, the ability to handle pressure and a strong sense of cooperation.

"I hope more students can integrate these qualities into their studies and lives," she added.

Returning to Xiannongtan from Peking University, Ding is keen to share her experience and ideas with young athletes to help them reach new heights. "Competitive sports are cruel indeed. An all-round development, emphasizing both learning and training, can offer more possibilities to athletes in their long-term growth. We need to focus on the psychological education of athletes, not just on the physical level. The younger generation should be more confident and optimistic," Ding said.

Founded in 1956, Xiannongtan Sports School is affiliated to the Beijing Sports Bureau and is responsible for talent development in table tennis, gymnastics, athletics, tennis, weightlifting, women's soccer and rugby. At the 15th National Games, athletes from Xiannongtan contributed eight golds to Team Beijing.

"Sports share the same nature, but have many differences in details. I know table tennis well, yet still need to acquire more knowledge of other events," Ding said. "The National Games provided an important opportunity for me to adapt to my new role."

Alongside established names such as Ma, Xiao Ruoteng and Yang Jiayu, young athletes from Xiannongtan also caught the eye at the Games, winning titles in the table tennis U18 and tennis youth group team events.

"Young athletes represent the future. They draw inspiration from veterans, and also have their own personalities. The talent cultivation will remain a priority of the school's development. Supported by high-quality education resources in both learning and training, the school aims to achieve higher goals," Ding said.

Xinhua