.The scene in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courthouse Philippe-Chatrier was dotted with vermillion banners, adding a glow to the actually orangey air rising off the reddish clay court.These were Chinese flagsu00e2 $" dozens themu00e2 $" swing in energetic support for Qinwen Zheng, 21, that will very soon take gold by defeating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s single people ping pong final.As she put down on the filth, eyes skyward as well as fists expanded right into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force seemed to be to sign up: Zheng had actually simply built the sort of record that prolonged much past the coliseum and the minute. This was Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" and also Zheng had actually created no secret of the simple fact that the Olympics were actually as, if not more, necessary to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng commemorates her Olympic success on August 3.Picture: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, we constantly believe a countryu00e2 $ s respect remains in front of personal effectiveness, u00e2 $ she said over an early morning meeting at Nikeu00e2 $ s Athlete Residence, tucked discreetly between the Stade de France and also the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the time after her conquest. u00e2 $ I treated [the Games] differentlyu00e2 $" the feeling, the match, the mentality: It really felt different than every other competition Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Born in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng started participating in ping pong at age 7. At grow older eight, she relocated, without her mommy and also dad, to Wuhan for much better mentoring, as well as since adolescence she has greatly appreciated and followed Mandarin professional athletes, such as the ping pong superstar Li Na as well as the jogger Liu Xiang, who gained gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was actually really difficult, u00e2 $ Zheng pointed out, recalling at those early days. u00e2 $ My mommy used to come check out on weekends. When she left, I will hold her leg and also weep. When she was gone, I would certainly regularly keep her coat. This was actually until I was actually thirteen. After 13, my mom made a decision to quit her task as well as happen remain with me full-time, only to possess far better growth as well as much better treatment. After that, it obtained simpler. And our experts relocated to Europe when I was 17. u00e2 $.