China’s 24-year-old table tennis player Wang Chuqin was overjoyed after securing his first Olympic gold medal alongside teammate Sun Yingsha on Tuesday.
But his elation soon turned to disbelief, anger and frustration when he discovered that his paddle - crucial for his singles and team events - had been damaged by excited photographers rushing to capture the moment.
Visibly upset, Wang tried to ask for an explanation. His coach tried to hug him in an effort to console him and ask him to stay calm.
Wang soon regained his composure despite the setback.
“At that moment, I lost control of my emotions a little. I couldn’t understand why the photographers would do that,” Wang said, still visibly affected by the incident.
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“I guess they didn’t mean it. I can’t do anything now that it’s already happened. I believe I’ll still be able to play well with my backup bat. Maybe this is fate.”
Wang and his partner Sun, who have now claimed the mixed doubles gold medal that China missed out on in Tokyo, are among the most popular athletes in China with a loyal following.
Many fans expressed anger towards the photographers on China’s social media Weibo.
With little time to celebrate their victory, Wang is set to face Swedish player Truls Moregard in the men’s singles round of 32 on Wednesday and will compete against India in the team event starting August 6.
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