00:00Two table tennis players, who were once teammates on China's national team over 40 years ago,
00:07have reunited in the Paris Olympic Games.
00:11During their time in China, Ni Xiaolian and Tanya Zhang never had the chance to compete
00:16in the Olympics.
00:18But now, the two found themselves competing in Paris for their second home.
00:22I'm into the life, I'm into the team, I want to bring the team to get a good result.
00:28That's my goal.
00:29Yes, I'm very happy, because I feel that the Chinese government has given me this opportunity.
00:35I think it's a rare opportunity.
00:37In China, even if you go to compete, you won't be able to do it.
00:42The level of competition in China is too high.
00:4661-year-old Ni and 58-year-old Zhang are among the oldest athletes competing in the Paris Olympics.
00:54Ni won the mixed doubles and team event in the World Championships with China in 1983
01:00before moving to Luxembourg in 1986, after which she competed in six Olympics.
01:07As for Zhang, who had stopped playing the sport for decades until 2022, it will be first-ever Olympics.
01:15In 2022, I didn't have any other dreams or goals.
01:24I just wanted to pick up the racket and train my body.
01:27I wanted to play in our club and get to know more people.
01:31But my teammates at the club said that I had never lost a match.
01:36I had never lost a match at their level.
01:38I had never lost a match against a boy.
01:40So they encouraged me to take part in the competition.
01:46I went because I had the courage.
01:48And I got this position.
01:51In the beginning, it was tough.
01:53In the beginning, I went to Europe.
01:54I didn't think I wanted to play for other countries.
01:57It's not my goal.
01:58I was a top 12 champion in Europe.
02:01So I gave up the Olympics in the USA.
02:05But when you have lived there for more years, you have feelings for the people.
02:10You understand that sport is only sport.
02:13It has nothing to do with politics or nationality.
02:16So that's why I changed.
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