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China wants table-tennis title back
China is desperate to regain the men's singles title at the world table tennis championships after missing out at the Athens Olympics.
"Table tennis may be just a sport in other parts of the world, but it is the national pride in China," head Chinese coach Cai Zhenhua was quoted by the Shanghai Daily as saying.
"The priority is to retake the men's single crown at any cost." China won all four Olympic table tennis golds in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000 but fell one short in Athens last year. Shanghai hosts this year's championships, which run from April 30 to May 6. South Korea's Ryu Seung-min prevented a Chinese sweep of Olympic golds in Athens by beating China's Wang Hao in the final. China won its last major men's singles title at the 2001 world championships in Japan, thanks to Shanghai native Wang Liqin. "Fans won't accept another [shaky] display for the most coveted title in the sport, particularly on home turf," Cai added. A decade ago the Chinese were serious contenders in only a handful of sports, primarily table tennis, gymnastics, diving and weightlifting. In Athens their successes were spread over a much greater range, the country winning 32 golds for second place behind the United States in the medal table.
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