China underlined their immense superiority in women’s Olympic table tennis with another gold medal after a simple 3-0 win over South Korea in Thursday’s team final.
The event was being contested at an Olympics for just the fourth time and has been dominated by China, who have won every gold so far.
They hope to repeat the trick in the men’s team final on Friday with Germany the opponents.
Every individual gold in Olympic women’s table tennis history has also gone to a Chinese competitor, so when they join up for the team event they are even more unbeatable.
Singles champion Chen Meng combined with Wang Manyu to defeat Kasumi Ishikawa and Miu Hirano 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 first up and then individual silver medallist Sun Yingsha stepped up to beat Mima Ito, also 3-1.
Wang settled the contest against Hirano, winning 11-5, 11-9 11-3.
Hong Kong earlier claimed women’s table tennis bronze with a 3-1 win over Germany.
Soo Wai Yam Minnie had the honour of clinching the decisive point for Hong Kong by downing Shan Xiona 12-10, 13-11, 11-7 in their singles encounter.
It is the first medal for Hong Kong in the event.
Shan and Petrissa Solja had given Germany hope of another medal, after silver at Rio 2016, by winning the opening doubles against Lee Ho Ching and Doo Hoi Kem but Soo defeated Han Ying in singles to level.
Doo then beat Solja to take Hong Kong to the brink of victory.
