A mother and now aged 35, Tie Yana's no spring chicken, but she's still full of fight
Veteran paddler looks forward toyearsmore competition at the top level - and sees a bright future for home-grown Hong Kong talent
"When I saw Ni Xialian play in Tokyo, I knew there was still a long time for me to go before I retire," joked veteran Tie Yana, Hong Kong's most successful table tennis player over the past decade. "There are still things I want to achieve and it's a bit early to call it a day, isn't it?"
A former China national team member, Ni is still playing for Luxembourg at 52 and competed with distinction at the world team championships in Japan last month, claiming victories over many of her younger rivals, including both rubbers against Russia in the group stages.
Tie turned 35 this week and has made a speedy return to competition after giving birth to her first child in December, joining a number of other mothers still competing at the highest level, including Li Jie of the Netherlands, Liu Jia and Li Qiangbing, who both represent Austria.
I am still hungry for success at the highest level, especially as the most important silverware is missing
Spanish player Shen Yanfei, one of the hottest paddlers on the pro tour circuit in 2013, missed the world event in Tokyo because she is due to give birth soon to her second baby.
Tie was a member of the women's team who clinched bronze in Tokyo after a narrow defeat by Japan in the semi-finals. The medal was Hong Kong's fifth in the last six team world championships and Tie has been instrumental every time, including in winning the two silver medals at Doha (2004) and Bremen (2006) and the three bronze medals.
"I have won medals for Hong Kong at the Asian Games, East Asian Games, world championships, World Cup, Asia Cup and many pro tour events, but I am still hungry for success at the highest level, especially as the most important silverware is missing," she said, referring to an Olympic medal.
At the 2004 Athens Games, she was beaten by Kim Kyung-ah of South Korea in the quarter-finals and four years later in Beijing, she departed again in the last eight, beaten by Wang Nan of China. In the team event, Hong Kong reached the semi-finals but were then knocked out by China. In the bronze medal play-off, Hong Kong were beaten by Japan in the second round.