dpa
Paris
China have swept all five Olympic golds in table tennis for the first time after the women’s team beat Japan 3-0 in Friday’s final.
No nation has previously won all five table tennis medals at a Games, although China did sweep the four medals on offer in 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2016.
The feat came shortly after China’s divers also swept all eight Games golds for the first time.
Individual women’s gold medallist Chen Meng teamed up with Wang Manyu to edge a closely-fought doubles opener.
They beat Japanese pair Hina Hayata, the individual bronze medallist, and Miwa Harimoto 9-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 12-10.
Individual silver medallist Sun Yingsha then quickly dealt with MiuHirano in straight sets, 13-11, 11-6, 11-6, but Wang saw more resistance amid some superb rallies against 16-year-old Harimoto.
The Japanese player took a tight first game but Wang regrouped to seal the gold in a classy encounter, 12-14, 12-10, 11-7, 11-6.
"In team competitions, the first point in doubles is critical because it sets the tone for the entire team. It also boosts the team’s morale for the following matches,” Chen said.
The gold was also said to be China’s 300th at Summer Games, with Chen sayinng: "”I think the number 300 is very impressive, but we didn’t know about it before the match. Our goal and focus were purely on winning the women’s team event today.” South Korea earlier overpowered Germany 3-0 to take the bronze medal.
Mixed doubles bronze medallist Shin Yu Bin and Jeon Ji Hee opened up in the doubles by edging Germany’s Wan Yuan and Shan Xiaona 3 games to 2.
Lee Eun Hye then hammered Annett Kaufmann 11-8, 11-9, 11-2 in the first singles to leave Jeon to wrap up the bronze with a 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 victory over Shan.
Shin said: "I feel like I gave everything I had, without any regrets.
Now that it’s over, I feel relieved and at peace.
"It was a long competition, but I’m glad I did my best. Competing in such a major event and playing in so many important matches, especially the team event, has been an invaluable experience for me.” Germany can at least be consoled with being the best Europeans in a sport dominating by Asian teams.