.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was actually populated with vermillion ensigns, including a radiance to the already orangey sky originating off the reddish clay-based court.These were actually Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" hundreds of themu00e2 $" waving in energetic support for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that would very soon take gold by defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s songs ping pong final.As she set on the dirt, eyes skyward and also fists expanded right into the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force appeared to register: Zheng had simply forged the kind of background that extended far past the arena and also the instant. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" and Zheng had created obvious of the truth that the Olympics were actually as, or even even more, necessary to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic victory on August 3.Image: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our team consistently feel a countryu00e2 $ s honor is in front end of individual results, u00e2 $ she pointed out over an early morning meeting at Nikeu00e2 $ s Professional athlete Property, put inconspicuously between the Stade de France as well as the Aquatics Facility in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the day after her triumph. u00e2 $ I dealt with [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the feeling, the fight, the way of thinking: It experienced various than intermittent competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began participating in tennis at grow older seven. At grow older 8, she moved, without her mommy and papa, to Wuhan for better coaching, and given that adolescence she has deeply appreciated and also mimicked Chinese sportsmens, such as the ping pong superstar Li Na and the distance runner Liu Xiang, that succeeded gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually really tough, u00e2 $ Zheng stated, looking back at those very early times. u00e2 $ My mama made use of to follow browse through on weekends. When she left, I would certainly secure her lower leg and cry. When she was gone, I would certainly constantly keep her coat. This was actually until I was thirteen. After thirteen, my mommy decided to quit her task and come stick with me full time, merely to possess much better development as well as far better treatment. After that, it acquired less complicated. As well as we moved to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.