Zhang jike biography table tennis racket

by Ian Marshall, Editor 

First signs of stardom

For a man long considered the flag-bearer for tradition in table tennis, Zhang Jike was all about creating something new.

For every fan who knew – and adored him – in 2012, the real story of his trendsetting days start about ten years earlier.

In 2011 in Rotterdam he had won the men’s singles event at the World Championships, before later in the year in Paris emerging successful at the Men’s World Cup.

Four years later in Rio de Janeiro, he added to his Olympic collection, but few could deny that his gold medal in the English capital city marked the very pinnacle of his career.

The Olympic Games success in London came a decade after we first set eyes on Zhang Jike.

At the 2002 ITTF World Cadet Challenge, held from Monday 11th to Sunday 15th June in the Hungarian town of Tiszaujvaros, the first ever staging of the event, he was voted the most valuable player.

A shining light in the success