Old heads, new faces light up Games

"Winning a few key points doesn't guarantee you the win."

Wang, who took home bronze, underscored the sheer competitiveness of the tournament.

"The National Games gather the best of the best, and we all know each other's games inside out. In a competition like this, anyone can beat anyone. There's no such thing as an upset."

Two-time Olympic women's singles gold medalist Chen Meng had never reached the top step of the podium in the women's singles event across her four previous National Games appearances. This time, again, she missed out on the top prize, having to settle for bronze.

She was defeated 4-0 in the semifinals by Wang Manyu, who then went on to beat Sun Yingsha in the final to claim the National Games title once again. Earlier this year, Sun had successfully defended her World Cup title in Macao and her World Championships title in Doha.

"The level of every player at the National Games is extremely high. The Games are held once every four years, and everyone takes it very seriously. You can feel every athlete is giving their all," said Chen, who led the Shandong provincial team to a 3-2 victory over Sun's Hebei squad in the women's team final on Nov 19, securing the gold.

"With players representing their home provinces, everyone is aiming for the top. The importance placed on the Games is completely different from regular WTT events, which are held almost every month," she added.

Veteran paddler Liu Shiwen, 34, who helped Guangdong province to claim the title in mixed doubles with her playing partner Lin Gaoyuan, agreed.

Having left the national team in 2022 after a career that yielded 20 World Championship titles, Liu said the chance to compete at home was too compelling an opportunity.

With Guangdong serving as one of the three co-hosts for the Games, alongside the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, she felt a strong drive to represent the team that nurtured her.