.The scene in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was actually populated with vermillion banners, including a radiance to the currently orangey sky originating off the red clay court.These were actually Chinese flagsu00e2 $" dozens themu00e2 $" swaying in boisterous assistance for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that will soon take gold by defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s single people ping pong final.As she set on the dirt, eyes skyward and fists extended into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitation seemed to sign up: Zheng had merely forged the sort of record that prolonged far past the arena as well as the second. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" and Zheng had created no secret of the fact that the Olympics were as, or even additional, essential to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic success on August 3.Picture: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our experts always believe a countryu00e2 $ s honor resides in face of personal excellence, u00e2 $ she mentioned over an early morning appointment at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete Residence, tucked quietly between the Stade de France and the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis place, the day after her triumph. u00e2 $ I alleviated [the Games] differentlyu00e2 $" the emotional state, the fight, the attitude: It experienced various than every other event Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began participating in tennis at grow older seven. At grow older 8, she moved, without her mama and papa, to Wuhan for much better coaching, and because adolescence she has actually deeply admired as well as replicated Chinese athletes, including the ping pong celebrity Li Na and also the runner Liu Xiang, that won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually hard, u00e2 $ Zheng claimed, remembering at those early times. u00e2 $ My mama utilized to come visit on weekends. When she left, I will secure her lower leg and also weep. When she was gone, I would regularly hold her coat. This was up until I was 13. After 13, my mom decided to stop her task and come remain with me permanent, only to have better development and much better care. Afterwards, it got easier. As well as we transferred to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.