.The scene in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Court Philippe-Chatrier was actually populated with vermillion ensigns, incorporating a glow to the currently orangey sky originating off the red clay-based court.These were Chinese flagsu00e2 $" numerous themu00e2 $" swing in lively help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that will soon take gold through beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s single people ping pong final.As she put down on the dust, eyes skyward and fists prolonged right into the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force appeared to enroll: Zheng had actually just created the type of history that stretched far past the stadium and the second. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" as well as Zheng had created no secret of the truth that the Olympics were actually as, if not additional, crucial to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic success on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, we always believe a countryu00e2 $ s respect resides in front end of individual success, u00e2 $ she pointed out over a morning meeting at Nikeu00e2 $ s Sportsmen Property, put inconspicuously in between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the time after her conquest. u00e2 $ I handled [the Video games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotional state, the battle, the mentality: It experienced various than every other tournament Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started playing ping pong at grow older 7. At age eight, she moved, without her mother as well as dad, to Wuhan for much better mentoring, as well as because teenage years she has profoundly admired and mimicked Mandarin professional athletes, like the tennis superstar Li Na and also the distance runner Liu Xiang, who gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually difficult, u00e2 $ Zheng mentioned, remembering at those early days. u00e2 $ My mommy utilized to come browse through on weekend breaks. When she left behind, I will hold her leg and also cry. When she was actually gone, I will constantly store her coat. This was actually until I was actually thirteen. After thirteen, my mommy chose to quit her job and also come visit me full time, only to possess better development as well as much better treatment. Afterwards, it received much easier. And also we moved to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.