Wang Liqin
Wang Liqin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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File:Wang Liqin from ITTF.jpg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Full name | Wang Liqin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | China | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Shanghai, China | June 18, 1978||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 75.0 kg (165.3 lb; 11.81 st) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Table tennis career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing style | Shake hands grip | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Wang Liqin (simplified Chinese: 王励勤; traditional Chinese: 王勵勤; pinyin: Wáng Lìqín; born June 18, 1978, Shanghai, China) is a Chinese table tennis player. As of January, 2011, he is ranked 8th in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). He began playing at the age of 6 and was picked for the Chinese men's national squad in 1993 when he was only 15 years old. Wang is the last man since Jiang Jialiang to defend his world title (1987). He holds three majors (3 World Championships). He has been ranked #1 by ITTF for 25 consecutive months, from September 2000 to September 2002, which is the second longest period for being consecutive #1 of the world as of January, 2011.
Wang is also often regarded as the greatest table tennis player of all time sometimes above Jan-Ove Waldner as his record of three world championships remain unrivaled up to this day. In addition he is known for his fantastic sportsmanship and integrity.
Style/Equipment
Wang Liqin uses the shakehand grip. He plays a forehand dominated style with the occasional backhand loop to open a topspin rally. His above average height allows him additional leverage for acceleration and momentum, creating more powerful shots. Many often describe him as possessing one of the most unique forehand shots.
Awards
Wang won the gold medal in doubles at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and the bronze medal in singles at the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens, Greece, as well as at the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, China. For most of 2004-6, he ranked as the world's best table tennis player.
Wang Liqin won his first World Championship in Osaka, Japan in 2001. In 2003, Wang made it to the quarter-finals of the World Table Tennis Championships. He has since won two more World Championships - 48th WTTC 2005 in Shanghai, China and 49th WTTC 2007 in Zagreb, Croatia. Wang Liqin is ranked #6 in the world for Men's Singles, based on the ITTF World Ranking page as of September 2010(www.ittf.com).
Wang and his teammates won the 2006 world table tennis team championships, beating Korea in the finals. Wang has won the highest number of pro tours, winning over 20. Wang now plays for the Shanghai city team.
He won the 2007 Men's Singles World Table Tennis Championship in Zagreb coming back from a 1-3 deficit to Ma Lin in a scintillating best of 7 match.
At the 2007 Pro Tour Grand Finals he has won the final with Chen Qi against Wang Hao/Ma Lin.
See also
References
- Career profile of Wang Liqin Table Tennis Master
- Biography at CCTV.com
- 1978 births
- Living people
- Chinese table tennis players
- Olympic bronze medalists for China
- Olympic gold medalists for China
- Olympic table tennis players of China
- People from Shanghai
- Table tennis players at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Table tennis players at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Table tennis players at the 2008 Summer Olympics