The Summer Olympics 2016 kicks off on the 5th August. I am really looking forward to commentating on the Table Tennis, a sport which entered the Olympic programme in 1998 at Seoul. This is not my first time commentating on the sport for RTE as I was involved for London 2012.
China has won 24 of the 28 Olympic gold medals contested since the sport entered the Games in 1988. They achieved clean sweeps at the London 2012 and Beijing 2008 Games, winning all four golds up for grabs (individual and team for both men and women).
Sweden for many years had the expertise of Jan Ove Waldner however that has all changed now so I cannot see any other players to cause an upset from a European nation. In the men's individual event, London 2012 gold medallist Zhang Jike faces an even greater challenge in Rio. He will be trying to achieve what no player has managed so far – to defend the men's Olympic singles title. Watch out for Europe & Japan In the Men's singles Japan's Jun Mizutani and Germany's Dimitrij Ovtcharov.
In the Team event China will win both the women's and men's team events.
The China ladies & Men's team are also phenomenally good. It's scary how dominant they are so if I see another country lift the trophy then it will be the biggest shock in Olympic Sport in the last 30 years.
See you all for the games and may the best athlete and team's win:)
JB
China has won 24 of the 28 Olympic gold medals contested since the sport entered the Games in 1988. They achieved clean sweeps at the London 2012 and Beijing 2008 Games, winning all four golds up for grabs (individual and team for both men and women).
Sweden for many years had the expertise of Jan Ove Waldner however that has all changed now so I cannot see any other players to cause an upset from a European nation. In the men's individual event, London 2012 gold medallist Zhang Jike faces an even greater challenge in Rio. He will be trying to achieve what no player has managed so far – to defend the men's Olympic singles title. Watch out for Europe & Japan In the Men's singles Japan's Jun Mizutani and Germany's Dimitrij Ovtcharov.
In the Team event China will win both the women's and men's team events.
The China ladies & Men's team are also phenomenally good. It's scary how dominant they are so if I see another country lift the trophy then it will be the biggest shock in Olympic Sport in the last 30 years.
See you all for the games and may the best athlete and team's win:)
JB
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