China closed on a second
successive clean sweep of Table Tennis Olympic gold medals as Ding Ning, Li
Xiaoxia and Guo Yue overcame Japan in the women's Team event final.
With two competitors per
country allowed to enter the Singles, the Asian powerhouse set out to take a
maximum haul of four golds and two silvers from London.
They were put on course
to do just that last week as Li overcame countrywoman Ding in the women's
Individual final before Zhang Jike did likewise versus Wang Hao in the men's.
China are now just one
step away from completing the sweep after their female trio eased to a 3-0
victory against Ai Fukuhara, Kasumi Ishikawa and Sayaka Hirano.
They will finish the job
if Zhang, Wang and Ma Long can, as expected, beat Republic of Korea in tomorrow's
men's Team final.
China's dominance -
victory tomorrow would represent a repeat of their efforts in Beijing - is a
far cry from what Japan have experienced since the sport was added to the
schedule at Seoul 1988.
Indeed, their silver is
Japan's first-ever table tennis Olympic medal, meaning there is still cause for
celebration in defeat.
Singapore, meanwhile,
took third prize after cruising past Republic of Korea in the clash for the
bronze this morning.
That sealed a second
bronze of London 2012 for Singles third-place finisher Feng Tianwei, who was
alongside Wang Yuegu and Li Jiawei.
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