For the love of the game

"After facing so many difficulties and getting this far, to lose here felt really frustrating," she recalled at the time.

She was deeply saddened, but had to adjust her mindset to prepare for the women's team competition in Paris.

On August 10, Wang, along with Sun and Chen, retained their Olympic crown, overwhelming Japan 3-0 in the final.

Going through so many emotional ups and downs during that period, Wang said, made her rethink her relationship with table tennis.

"I used to put all my emotions into table tennis. My joy, anger, sorrow and happiness were all tied to it," she confessed in a recent interview with China Daily.

She said that, as a child, practicing a few more strokes, or learning a new technique each day, made her happy and gave her a sense of achievement. But now, winning championships has become the norm for her, and she once felt that only winning Olympic gold, and completing a prestigious "Grand Slam" — collecting titles at the World Championships, World Cup and the Olympics — would be considered true success.

"This grand goal made it difficult for me to feel the joy of table tennis in my daily routine.

"I used to be overly eager for success, almost treating the dream as something I must achieve. But now, I believe the first thing is to maintain a passion for the sport. With passion, there is motivation, and with motivation, I can have a better mindset to continue on the path ahead.

"Otherwise, training every single day would get really tough. So, I need to find that pure love for table tennis I had when I was a kid."

The prodigy first got involved with the sport at the age of five, when her aunt suggested to her mother that Wang should learn a special skill.

Han Liangui, a local coach in Qiqihar, took Wang under his wing. Han still remembers the first time he met her.

"Wang stood half a head taller than her peers," he recalled.

"After training, other kids would be noisy and playful, but she would either continue practicing on the court, or just sit quietly on the sidelines, showing maturity beyond her years."

In Han's view, the reserved girl displayed an "uncommon talent" for the sport.

"She learned quickly, was determined and trained with intense focus. Sometimes, if I asked her to hit 20 balls to practice a particular tactic, she wouldn't accept hitting even one less," he said.

After coaching Wang for 15 months, Han sent her to the Qiqihar Sports School.

"I hoped she would have a better environment for learning the sport. Such a promising talent shouldn't be wasted," said Han.

Liu Xiaodong was among Wang's coaches at the sports school.

He recalled that Wang's supportive family always ensured she attended training on time, regardless of the weather, never missing a single day.

"One time, even with a fever of 38 C, she came to train. Seeing such self-discipline and determination in a six-year-old was truly touching," Liu said.

Back then, Wang relished competing, especially when she triumphed over older or more experienced players.

"At that time, I was generally happy. More often, people noticed a kid that had talent, a kid that was progressing quickly. For me, it was more about building confidence and growing a love for table tennis," said Wang.

"Even when I lost, I found it interesting, because the challenge helped me improve."

Now, as a world-class player, she finds that being overly focused on achieving her dreams, and struggling with how to improve, can put a strain on her relationship with the sport.

"I'm trying to find a life outside my career, to enrich myself," she said.

From what she posts on the short-video platform Douyin, which includes her first attempts at cooking, going for bike rides and taking walks by the sea, it's clear that she has recently been enjoying her life.

She was particularly fond of her recent travels to the Aranya seaside community in Hebei province.

"Being there with friends, especially by the sea, I felt incredibly relaxed," she said.

"Previously, I rarely went out with friends, if at all, so enjoying those carefree moments felt precious to me."

Wang added that her focus has shifted from achieving specific dreams or accomplishments to her own personal growth.

"The hardest part is overcoming some inner challenges and finding the best version of myself. Once I do, many things will naturally fall into place," she said.

After the Paris Games, Wang missed several international competitions due to injury and family matters. Following a period of rest, she returned to the international stage at the WTT Champions Frankfurt, securing the women's singles title on Nov 10.

Just two weeks later, she repeated her triumph at the WTT Finals Fukuoka.

Having reassessed her relationship with table tennis, and reconciled it with her own personal goals, Wang is now poised to begin a new chapter in her career. Tracking Success delivers the inside story for global sports fans, exploring what makes elite performers tick, and providing insight into their biggest and most intriguing moments on and off the field of play.

FACTFILE

Name: Wang Manyu

Age: 25

Height: 176 cm

Birthplace: Qiqihar, Heilongjiang province

Talent: Table Tennis

Hobbies: Listening to music, cooking, cycling, bullet journaling

Achievements:

Women's singles title at 2018 Jakarta Asian Games

Women's doubles title at the 2019 World Championships in Budapest

Gold in women's team event at Tokyo 2020

Women's singles and doubles titles at 2021 Houston World

Table Tennis Championships Gold in women's team event at Paris 2024