Wang Rui (table tennis)

Wang Rui (born 29 August 1993)^[1] is a Chinese former para table tennis player who competed at international table tennis competitions. She is a Paralympic champion, World champion, three-time Asian Para Games champion and four-time Asian champion in both singles and teams events.^[2]

Wang Rui

Personal information
Born	29 August 1993 (1993-08-29) (age 31) Deyang, China
Sport
Country	China
Sport	Para table tennis
Disability class	C7
Medal record Para table tennis Representing  China Paralympic Games 2021 Tokyo Teams C6-8 2024 Paris Singles WS7 World Championships 2014 Beijing Teams C6-8 2014 Beijing Singles C7 Asian Para Games 2014 Incheon Singles C6-7 2014 Incheon Teams C6-8 2018 Jakarta Singles C7 2022 Hangzhou Singles C7 2018 Jakarta Teams C8-10 Asian Championships 2017 Beijing Singles C6-7 2017 Beijing Teams C6-8 2019 Taichung Singles C7 2019 Taichung Teams C8

Life-changing injury

In May 2008, Wang was in school studying for her exams. The building shook violently and Wang couldn't react in time as the building collapsed, she was knocked unconscious on the impact of a wall fallen on top of her. Once she regained consciousness, she saw that she was underneath rubble and her right leg was severely injured by the heavy materials. After ten hours of being stuck under the rubble, she was eventually rescued. Once she was retrieved by the volunteers who rescued her, she heard that there had been a major earthquake and Wang was fortunate to survive despite her serious lower body injuries which led to her right leg being amputated.^[3]

Sporting career

A year on from the natural disaster, Wang started table tennis training at the age of 16. She participated in her first competition in the Sichuan prefecture and won her first gold medal. Following her incredible success, she joined the Chinese para table tennis team in 2013. Her highest achievement was qualifying and competing at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, she didn't advance through the group stage following only one win and two losses.^[4]

She competed at her second Paralympics Games, the 2020 Summer Paralympics, she was on top of the leaderboard in the group stage and went onto the quarterfinals, she lost in straight sets by Victoriya Safonova. Hope wasn't lost as she had another opportunity of winning a medal in the team events with Mao Jingdian and Huang Wenjuan, the team won their quarterfinal and semifinal matches in straight sets against Germany and France respectively, the Chinese team went on to beat Netherlands and won the title. The victory was Wang and Huang's first title and Mao's fourth gold medal.^[5]

References

1. "Rui Wang". Rio 2016 Paralympics. Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 3 December 2016. Date of birth: August 29, 1993
2. "Wang Rui - IPTTF Profile". International Para Table Tennis Committee. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
3. "Wang Rui lost her right leg in the Wenchuan earthquake and hid at home without going out, why did she later become a world champion". Lai Times. 27 October 2021.
4. "Sichuan athlete Wang Rui wins the Paralympic team gold medal: table tennis changed my life". Lai Times. 27 October 2021.
5. "Rui Wang - IPC Profile". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2 January 2023.

External links

• Wang Rui at ITTF Para Table Tennis
• Wang Rui at the International Paralympic Committee