Syria’s 12-year-old table tennis athlete Hend Zaza will come to China for professional training, China Central Television (CCTV) said in a report on Tuesday. The young athlete just finished her first trip to the Olympic Games after losing a match in Tokyo. On hearing that Syria’s 12-year-old table tennis athlete Hend Zaza wishes to come to China for training, the Chinese Olympic Committee immediately invited her, helping to fulfill her wishes, she will arrive in September.
“I’m looking forward to training abroad. I want to make progress and take the championship one day,” Zaza told CCTV. “I want to reach the same level as the Chinese team does, and I’m looking forward to having the same training as the Chinese team.”
On July 24, the young Zaza lost her match to Chinese-Austrian athlete Liu Jia 4-0. The night before her match, she was a lag bearer of Syria at the opening ceremony. A late night, plus the lingering six-hour jet lag, meant that she barely slept — not great preparation against Liu, who is making her sixth Olympic appearance.
“I was hoping for a winning match and for better play, but it’s a tough opponent so it’s a good lesson for me, especially with the first Olympics,” Zaza said. “I will work on it to get a better result next time, hopefully.”
Still, with her long hair bouncing as she did around the table, Zaza showed ability that impressed her seasoned opponent. “I had to remind myself not to underestimate her,” Liu said. She called Zaza “a great talent” with good rhythm and instincts who simply needed more experience.
In 2011, complaints about high unemployment and corruption led to severe violence inside Syria. As the violence rapidly escalated (升级), the country descended into a civil war that still rages today. Zaza said as long as she can remember she found it difficult to go to school or play outside, let alone train for her chosen sport. At 12 years and 204 days, Zaza became the youngest table tennis player ever to compete in the Olympics.
Zaza has previously told media that Chinese world champion table tennis athlete Ding Ning is her idol and she hoped that she could play with Ding Ning one day. Ding once posted on Weibo in 2020 that she was looking forward to meeting Zaza in China soon.
With a desire for world peace, Zaza said that participating in the Olympics is not her final goal. She hopes that the small white ball in her hands can deliver a message of peace. She also hopes that Syria will stop the war as soon as possible, and every child will be able to chase their dreams freely.
【小题1】Why did the Chinese Olympic Committee invite Zaza to China?| A．To help Zaza accomplish her dream. |
| B．To improve Chinese team’s pingpong techniques. |
| C．To show that China is a greater country than hers. |
| D．To spark her love for pingpong. |
a. Lack of confidence b. Jet lag c. Not enough sleep d. Competitive rival (对手)
| A．abc | B．acd | C．bcd | D．abcd |
| A．Ambitious but lazy. | B．Dishonest but grateful. |
| C．Honorable and humorous. | D．Competent and respectable. |
| A．Syrian Table Tennis Player Invited to China |
| B．Zaza’s Wish for Peace |
| C．Table Tennis Diplomacy (外交) |
| D．A Harmonious World Connected by Table Tennis |
