Sentinel Digital Desk
Zhiying Zeng made history at the Paris Olympics 2024 by becoming the oldest athlete to compete in the Games. At the remarkable age of 58, the Chilean table tennis player achieved her lifelong dream of competing on the Olympic stage.
Zhiying Zeng, born in Guangzhou, China, began playing table tennis at a young age. She was selected for China's national team at 16, but her career stalled before the sport's Olympic debut in 1988.
Zeng left China in 1989 to teach in northern Chile, where she opened other businesses and taught schoolchildren.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Zeng returned to play, reaching a qualifier and securing a place in the Olympics.
Despite losing in Paris, Zeng's Olympic debut is a memorable moment for her and her father. Her dad, 92 now, got to watch Zeng at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Interestingly, Zeng is not the oldest player in the women's tournament at the Paris Games - Luxembourg's 61-year-old Ni Xialian takes that title.