.The performance in the stands at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was dotted along with vermillion streamers, adding a radiance to the actually orangey sky rising off the red clay court.These were Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" numerous themu00e2 $" waving in energetic help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that will quickly take gold by defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s single people ping pong final.As she lay down on the dirt, eyes skyward as well as fists extended in to the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravity seemed to enroll: Zheng had actually simply built the type of history that extended far past the stadium and the second. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had actually created clear of the simple fact that the Olympics were actually as, if not even more, crucial to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic triumph on August 3.Picture: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our experts regularly feel a countryu00e2 $ s honor is in front end of individual results, u00e2 $ she claimed over a morning appointment at Nikeu00e2 $ s Professional athlete Home, put inconspicuously between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Facility in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis region, the day after her triumph. u00e2 $ I addressed [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotional state, the fight, the way of thinking: It experienced different than intermittent competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began playing tennis at grow older 7. At grow older 8, she relocated, without her mother and also father, to Wuhan for better coaching, and also due to the fact that adolescence she has actually deeply appreciated and also emulated Mandarin athletes, including the ping pong star Li Na as well as the jogger Liu Xiang, who succeeded gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was really challenging, u00e2 $ Zheng pointed out, remembering at those very early days. u00e2 $ My mama utilized to come check out on weekends. When she left, I would secure her leg and weep. When she was gone, I would consistently store her coat. This was up until I was actually 13. After thirteen, my mother decided to quit her job and come stick with me full time, just to possess far better development and far better care. After that, it received much easier. And also our experts relocated to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.