Table tennis is among the sports contested at the Summer Olympic Games. It was introduced at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, where singles and doubles tournaments were held for both genders. The men's and women's doubles events were dropped from the 2008 Summer Olympics program and replaced by team events. The competitions are conducted in accordance with the rules established by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
Ma Long (China) is the all-time Olympic medal leader, having won six golds. Dimitrij Ovtcharov (Germany) have won six medals in the men's competitions, while Ma Lin, Zhang Jike and Fan Zhendong (China) are the males with three gold medals. Wang Nan (China) is the best-performing athlete in the women's competitions, having won four golds—a figure shared with fellow Chinese players Deng Yaping, Zhang Yining and Chen Meng—and one silver medal. Twenty-one players have won at least four medals and six have won three. Chen Jing competed for China when she won her first two medals in 1988, and for Chinese Taipei when she gained her most recent two medals at the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics. Since 1992, the winner of the women's singles has also won the doubles or team event: Deng Yaping, in 1992 and 1996; Wang Nan, in 2000; Zhang Yining, in 2004 and 2008; Li Xiaoxia, in 2012; Ding Ning, in 2016; and Chen Meng, in 2020 and 2024. In the men's competition, Liu Guoliang (1996), Ma Lin (2008), Zhang Jike (2012), Ma Long (2016 and 2020) and Fan Zhendong (2024) have achieved this feat. Besides Deng Yaping, Zhang Yining, Chen Meng and Ma Long, no other female or male player has successfully defended their singles title, while in the doubles, back-to-back victories were achieved by Deng Yaping and Qiao Hong (1992, 1996), and Wang Nan (with Li Ju in 2000, and Zhang Yining in 2004).
China has been the most successful nation in Olympic table tennis, winning 66 medals (37 gold, 21 silver, and 8 bronze). Since 1992, Chinese players have won at least one medal in every event. At the 2008 Games, China achieved an unprecedented medal sweep in both the men's and women's singles tournaments, and won both team tournaments. With 20 medals, South Korea is second to China in the overall medal count. Japan is the third nation to have won double-digit medals. As of the 2024 Summer Olympics, 130 medals (42 gold, 42 silver, and 46 bronze) have been awarded to 118 players selected from 12 National Olympic Committees (NOC). Third-place matches were not held at the 1992 Summer Olympics, so all losing semifinalists were given bronze medals, resulting in four additional bronze medalists.
Men
Men's singles 1988 Seoul1992 Barcelona1996 Atlanta2000 Sydney2004 Athens2008 Beijing2012 London2016 Rio de Janeiro2020 Tokyo2024 Paris2028 Los Angeles
Men's doubles 1988 Seoul1992 Barcelona1996 Atlanta2000 Sydney2004 Athens 2008-2024 not included in the Olympic program2028 Los Angeles
Women Women's singles 1988 Seoul1992 Barcelona1996 Atlanta2000 Sydney2004 Athens2008 Beijing2012 London2016 Rio de Janeiro2020 Tokyo2024 Paris2028 Los Angeles
Women's doubles 1988 Seoul1992 Barcelona1996 Atlanta2000 Sydney2004 Athens 2008-2024 not included in the Olympic program2028 Los Angeles
Mixed
Mixed doubles 2020 Tokyo 2024 Paris 2028 Los Angeles
Mixed teams 2028 Los Angeles
Discontinued
Men’s team 2008 BeijingMa LinWang HaoWang LiqinTimo BollDimitrij OvtcharovChristian SüßOh Sang-eunRyu Seung-minYoon Jae-young2012 LondonWang HaoZhang JikeMa LongOh Sang-eunJoo Se-hyukRyu Seung-minTimo BollDimitrij OvtcharovBastian Steger2016 Rio de JaneiroMa LongXu XinZhang JikeKoki NiwaJun MizutaniMaharu YoshimuraBastian StegerDimitrij OvtcharovTimo Boll2020 TokyoFan ZhendongMa LongXu XinDimitrij OvtcharovPatrick FranziskaTimo BollJun MizutaniKoki NiwaTomokazu Harimoto2024 ParisWang ChuqinMa LongFan ZhendongAnton KällbergTruls MöregårdhKristian KarlssonFélix LebrunAlexis LebrunSimon Gauzy
Women's team 2008 BeijingGuo YueWang NanZhang YiningFeng TianweiLi JiaweiWang YueguDang Ye-seoKim Kyung-ahPark Mi-young2012 LondonDing Ning Guo Yue Li XiaoxiaAi Fukuhara Kasumi Ishikawa Sayaka HiranoFeng TianweiLi JiaweiWang Yuegu2016 Rio de Janeiro Liu ShiwenDing NingLi Xiaoxia Han YingPetrissa SoljaShan Xiaona Ai FukuharaKasumi IshikawaMima Ito2020 Tokyo Chen MengSun YingshaWang Manyu Mima ItoKasumi IshikawaMiu Hirano Doo Hoi KemLee Ho ChingMinnie Soo2024 Paris Sun YingshaWang ManyuChen Meng Hina HayataMiwa HarimotoMiu Hirano Shin Yu-binJeon Ji-heeLee Eun-hye
Statistics
Athlete medal leaders Athlete Nation Gender OlympicsGoldSilverBronze TotalMa LongMale2012–20246006Wang NanFemale2000–20084105Deng YapingFemale1992–19964004Zhang YiningFemale2004–20084004Chen MengFemale2020–20244004Sun YingshaFemale2020–20243205Ding NingFemale2012–20163104Li XiaoxiaFemale2012–20163104Zhang JikeMale2012–20163104Fan ZhendongMale2020–20243104Ma LinMale2004–20083003Wang HaoMale2004–20122305Liu GuoliangMale1996–20002114Qiao HongFemale1992–19962114Kong LinghuiMale1996–20002103Xu XinMale2016–20202103Guo YueFemale2004–20122024Wang LiqinMale2000–20082024Wang ChuqinMale20242002Wang ManyuFemale2020–20242002Chen JingFemale19881996–20001214Wang TaoMale1992–19961203Mima ItoFemale2016–20201124Jun MizutaniMale2016–20201124Ryu Seung-minMale2004–20121113Li JuFemale20001102Liu ShiwenFemale2016–20201102Lü LinMale1992, 19961102Jan-Ove WaldnerMale1992, 20001102Yoo Nam-kyuMale1988–19961034Hyun Jung-hwaFemale1988–19921023Chen LongcanMale19881001Chen QiMale20041001Wei QingguangMale19881001Yan SenMale20001001Yang Young-jaFemale19881001Dimitrij Ovtcharov Male2008–20200246Timo BollMale2008–20200224Kasumi IshikawaFemale2012–20200213Truls MöregårdhMale20240202Miu HiranoFemale2020–20240202Feng TianweiFemale2008–20120123Jiao ZhiminFemale19880112Jean-Philippe GatienMale1992, 20000112Jörg RoßkopfMale1992–19960112Oh Sang-eunMale2008–20120112Li JiaweiFemale2008–20120112Wang YueguFemale2008–20120112Ai FukuharaFemale2012–20160112Koki NiwaMale2016–20200112Hina HayataFemale20240112Kim Ki-taikMale19880101Li HuifenFemale19880101Ilija LupuleskuMale19880101Zoran PrimoracMale19880101Steffen FetznerMale19920101Chen ZiheFemale19920101Gao JunFemale19920101Liu WeiFemale19960101Qiao YunpingFemale19960101Sun JinFemale20000101Yang YingFemale20000101Kim Hyang-miFemale20040101Ko Lai ChakMale20040101Li ChingMale20040101Lee Eun-silFemale20040101Seok Eun-miFemale20040101Christian SüßMale20080101Joo Se-hyukMale20120101Sayaka HiranoFemale20120101Maharu YoshimuraMale20160101Han YingFemale20160101Petrissa SoljaFemale20160101Shan XiaonaFemale20160101Patrick FranziskaMale20200101Anton KällbergMale20240101Kristian KarlssonMale20240101Miwa HarimotoFemale20240101Ri Jong-sikMale20240101Kim Kum-yongFemale20240101Kim Taek-sooMale19920022Lee Chul-seungMale1992–19960022Ryu Ji-haeFemale1996–20000022Kim Kyung-ahFemale2004–20080022Bastian StegerMale2012–20160022Félix LebrunMale20240022Shin Yu-binFemale20240022Erik LindhMale19880011Ahn Jae-hyungMale19880011Jasna FazlićFemale19880011Gordana PerkučinFemale19880011Ma WengeMale19920011Ri Pun-huiFemale19920011Kang Hee-chanMale19920011Li Bun-HuiFemale19920011Yu Sun-bokFemale19920011Hong Cha-okFemale19920011Park Hae-jungFemale19960011Patrick ChilaMale20000011Kim Moo-kyoFemale20000011Michael MazeMale20040011Finn TugwellMale20040011Niu JianfengFemale20040011Yoon Jae-youngMale20080011Dang Ye-seoFemale20080011Park Mi-youngFemale20080011Kim Song-iFemale20160011Tomokazu HarimotoMale20200011Doo Hoi KemFemale20200011Lee Ho ChingFemale20200011Minnie SooFemale20200011Lin Yun-juMale20200011Cheng I-chingFemale20200011Alexis LebrunMale20240011Simon GauzyMale20240011Jeon Ji-heeFemale20240011Lee Eun-hyeFemale20240011Lim Jong-hoonMale20240011 The years indicate the Olympics at which the medals were won.
Medals per year Nation1896–198488929600040812162024Total 568868667666 ––11––––1–3 ––––1–––––1 –1–1–––––24 –11––1222–9 ––––1–––1–2 ––––––134210 –2––1––1–15 –––––12–––3 4521321––220 11–1–––––25 2–––––––––2
Podium sweeps There have been three podium sweeps in Olympic table tennis history. This is when athletes from one NOC win all three medals in a single event. This has not been possible since the conclusion of the 2008 Olympic games, since following China's podium sweeps, the ITTF has limited each country at the Olympics to a maximum of two contestants per gender.
GamesEventNOCGoldSilverBronze2008 Beijing Men's singles Ma LinWang HaoWang Liqin1988 Seoul Women's singles Chen JingLi HuifenJiao Zhimin2008 Beijing Women's singles Zhang YiningWang NanGuo Yue
See also World Table Tennis Championships Table Tennis World Cup
References General
Specific