Hong Kong’s Tang Peng was sensationally knocked out of the Rio Olympics table tennis competition in his opening match on Sunday night 2-4 by hometown hero Hugo Calderano.
A feverish home crowd roared the world number 54 Calderano to an incredible victory over heavy favourite Tang in the men’s singles.
Calderano was a surprise winner in the third round match. Photo: AFP
The 35-year-old Tang, part of the Hong Kong set-up that reached the semi-final of the team event at the London Games four years ago, was one of Hong Kong’s brightest medal hopes going in to the Olympics.
WATCH: Golden moments on Day 2 at Rio Olympics
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“The team event is the main goal for us,” said a sanguine Tang after the loss. “I actually had a good mindset for the singles, but winning or losing does not affect me too much. I lost at the first stage in London, too.”
Calderano was roared on by a partisan Rio crowd. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong’s Wong Chun-ting is in table tennis action later tonight when he faces Canada’s Eugene Wang in his opening match.
