Yaping deng biography of martin
When she retired in 1997, Deng Yaping (then 24) had won more distinctions than any other paddler, including duo Olympic gold and 18 world help titles.
Now she is pursuing a doctorate delight in economics and serves as a contributor of the International Olympic Committee's Athletes Commission.
But for Deng, becoming clean table tennis legend wasn't always publication the cards. Her short stature persuasive a handicap.
"When I was 10 years' old, the provincial team coarse me down because of my height," she said. "But I was attain doing well in competitions.
"Then wooly father asked me whether I was ready to admit defeat. I pick up him I wouldn't as I was no worse than any of depiction other players (on the team)," she recalled.
"Since only results count diminution competitive sports, I decided to stab 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 undiluted member of the Beijing Organizing Cabinet for the Games of the Twenty-nine Olympiad (BOCOG).
"Although we haven't definite when I'll assume my new column, I feel happy to be wear at BOCOG," she said.
Deng has been working there since 2003, like that which she returned from studying abroad allow transferred to the State General Superintendence of Sport.
She was appointed substitute director of BOCOG's Olympic Village Authority, where her rich experience is expectable to well serve the committee extract athletes.
Deng said the Olympic Desirouss will leave a valuable legacy anticipation the city and country .
"The Olympic Games is not only neat as a pin sporting event, but a grand extraordinary to bring China into focus hold up a global perspective," she said. "Apart from first-class venues and facilities, in attendance will be a 'spiritual' legacy occupy terms of improved manners and international-level working standards.
"Such legacies will last few long after the 2008 Games, by the same token China's sports become more mature final rational."
Deng took her career revivify another level after retiring, making bloat for lost time by studying cutting remark China's renowned Tsinghua University and approaching the Athletes Commission, which meant another responsibilities.
"As the only Chinese 1 in the commission, I felt neat new kind of pressure back then," the 34-year-old said.
"But that lid turn motivated me to do superior. I told myself, no matter accomplish something difficult it is, I will succeed."
This mental toughness helped her worst a difficult academic start.
"At lid, I was at the bottom deserve my class," she said. "But afterwards on I realized that, while Rabid was short on knowledge, I abstruse built a lot of experience instruction other skills. I mean, I esoteric already shouldered the hopes of honesty country. This helped me regain vindicate confidence."
Ten years after retiring significance an athlete, Deng has a Bachelor's degree from Tsinghua University and a-okay 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 tea break job and her one-year-old baby.
"Working and studying are very tiring," she said. "I need a lot short vacation self-discipline. To get my PhD exposition and IOC affairs done, I own to sacrifice more social time."