When she retired in 1997, Deng Yaping (then 24) had won more
titles than any other paddler, including four Olympic gold and 18
world championship titles.
?
World No 1 from 1990 to 1997, she was voted China's female
athlete of the century and in 2003 joined the International Table
Tennis Federation Hall of Fame.
Now she is pursuing a doctorate in economics and serves as a
member of the International Olympic Committee's Athletes
Commission.
But for Deng, becoming a table tennis legend wasn't always on
the cards. Her short stature proved a handicap.
"When I was 10 years' old, the provincial team turned me down
because of my height," she said. "But I was still doing well in
competitions.
"Then my father asked me whether I was ready to admit defeat. I
told him I wouldn't as I was no worse than any of the other players
(on the team)," she recalled.
"Since only results count in competitive sports, I decided to
stick with it and prove myself."
Her tenacity paid off and Deng has never left the sporting
world.
As the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games nears, she will participate
again as a member of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games
of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).
"Although we haven't decided when I'll assume my new post, I
feel happy to be back at BOCOG," she said.
Deng has been working there since 2003, when she returned from
studying abroad and transferred to the State General Administration
of Sport.
She was appointed deputy director of BOCOG's Olympic Village
Department, where her rich experience is expected to well serve the
committee and athletes.
Deng said the Olympic Games will leave a valuable legacy on the
city and country.
"The Olympic Games is not only a sporting event, but a grand
gala to bring China into focus from a global perspective," she
said. "Apart from first-class venues and facilities, there will be
a 'spiritual' legacy in terms of improved manners and
international-level working standards.
"Such legacies will last long after the 2008 Games, as China's
sports become more mature and rational."
Deng took her career to another level after retiring, making up
for lost time by studying at China's renowned Tsinghua University
and joining the Athletes Commission, which meant new
responsibilities.
"As the only Chinese member in the commission, I felt a new kind
of pressure back then," the 34-year-old said.
"But that in turn motivated me to do well. I told myself, no
matter how difficult it is, I will succeed."
This mental toughness helped her overcome a difficult academic
start.
"At first, I was at the bottom of my class," she said. "But
later on I realized that, while I was short on knowledge, I had
built a lot of experience and other skills. I mean, I had already
shouldered the hopes of the country. This helped me regain my
confidence."
Ten years after retiring as an athlete, Deng has a Bachelor's
degree from Tsinghua University and a Master's from England's
Nottingham University. She is now studying for a PhD in Land
Economy at Cambridge.
She also juggles her time between her job and her one-year-old
baby.
"Working and studying are very tiring," she said. "I need a lot
of self-discipline. To get my PhD dissertation and IOC affairs
done, I have to sacrifice more social time."
(China Daily March 16, 2007)
