On a tense Friday evening at the South Paris Arena, Ma Long secured his place atop the sport's history. Leading China to a hard-fought victory over Sweden in the men's team final, he claimed his sixth Olympic gold medal. The win makes him the most decorated table tennis Olympian and the Chinese athlete with the most golds at the Games.
Five games to set the tone
The final was far closer than the 3-0 match score suggests. Ma Long stepped onto the court first, pairing with Wang Chuqin in a doubles duel against Anton Källberg and Kristian Karlsson. The Swedes took the opening frame, but the Chinese veterans roared back, claiming the next two games 11-4 and 11-3.
Sweden refused to fade. They snatched the fourth game 11-6, forcing a decider. Ma Long and Wang held their nerve, powering through the fifth game 11-7 to draw first blood in the tie.
A record no one else holds
From the bench, Ma Long watched Fan Zhendong survive a seesaw singles match against Truls Möregårdh, winning 3-2 in a contest where the lead flipped repeatedly. Wang Chuqin then closed the show, defeating Karlsson 3-2 in another five-game epic. With the final point won at 11-2 in the decider, China's fifth straight team gold was secure.
The medal was the latest milestone on a journey that began at London 2012. The 35-year-old, competing in his final Olympics and only in the team event, won at least one gold at every Summer Games since. His career Grand Slam, completed in Rio, was followed by historic world championship runs, but this final team triumph stood apart.
"This gold medal is a great way to conclude my Olympic journey," Ma Long told reporters afterwards. "These past 12 years have been a journey filled with ups and downs, and I feel incredibly fortunate."
The iron from the Eiffel Tower inside the medal felt heavy in his hand. It was a fitting weight for a legacy that now has no equal.
