China is the undisputed champion of the ping pong world, winning a whopping 24 gold medals out of a possible 28 since it became an Olympic sport in 1988.
China Icons filmed inside one of the country's premier sports schools to find out why the nation's ping pong players are head and shoulders above the rest of the competition.
As Beijing's Coach Gu explains, ping pong (commonly known as table tennis outside China) is played everywhere and by everyone. A former national champion, Coach Gu now dedicates himself to training up the next generation at Beijing's ShiChaHai Sports School.
Coach Gu's ping pong proteges include two ten year olds about to compete at a Beijing Under 15 competition. See how Chen Yanyu and Si Rite fare balancing the training with their school work and at the competition itself.
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Olympian Photos courtesy of Pierre-Yves Beaudouin & Doha Stadium Plus Qatar - Wang Hao