.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier was populated with vermillion streamers, adding a radiance to the presently orangey air emanating off the reddish clay-based court.These were actually Chinese flagsu00e2 $" hundreds of themu00e2 $" swing in lively assistance for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who would very soon take gold through beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s singles ping pong final.As she put down on the dust, eyes skyward as well as fists stretched in to the Paris fog, the winu00e2 $ s gravitation seemed to be to register: Zheng had just shaped the type of background that prolonged far past the arena as well as the instant. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the sportu00e2 $" and Zheng had actually made clear of the fact that the Olympics were actually as, otherwise more, significant to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic victory on August 3.Picture: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our team consistently think a countryu00e2 $ s honor resides in front of private effectiveness, u00e2 $ she mentioned over a morning appointment at Nikeu00e2 $ s Professional athlete House, put discreetly between the Stade de France and also the Aquatics Centre in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the day after her triumph. u00e2 $ I dealt with [the Games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotion, the fight, the attitude: It really felt various than intermittent competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began participating in tennis at grow older seven. At grow older 8, she moved, without her mom and also papa, to Wuhan for better training, and also because adolescence she has greatly marvelled at and also replicated Mandarin professional athletes, including the ping pong star Li Na and also the distance runner Liu Xiang, that gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually truly challenging, u00e2 $ Zheng said, remembering at those very early times. u00e2 $ My mommy utilized ahead browse through on weekends. When she left, I would certainly secure her lower leg and cry. When she was gone, I will always keep her coat. This was until I was actually thirteen. After 13, my mommy determined to stop her work and happen remain with me full-time, just to have far better development as well as better treatment. Afterwards, it received less complicated. And our company relocated to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.