Zeng Jian in table tennis

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Singapore's Zeng Jian made a remarkable debut by defeating Croatia's Ivana Malobabic 4-3 in a tense women's singles round of 64 match, showcasing her resilience in front of a crowd that included the Singapore President. Zeng, ranked 52nd in the world, expressed her nerves but found her rhythm to secure the win, and is set to face India's Sreeja Akula next. In contrast, her teammates Zhou Jingyi and Izaac Quek were eliminated in their respective first-round matches. Meanwhile, 58-year-old Zeng Zhiying, representing Chile, exited the tournament after losing 4-1 to Lebanon's Mariana Sahakian, but plans to continue playing table tennis. Despite her early exit, Zeng Zhiying expressed contentment and a desire to remain active in the sport. The atmosphere at the games has been described as electrifying, with passionate fans supporting their athletes throughout the competition.