Chinese-Chilean table tennis player Zeng Zhiying made her Olympic debut at the age of 58 during the Paris Games.
The athlete is the oldest member of Chile’s delegation and is competing under her adopted name, Tania, in the women’s singles table tennis tournament.
Zeng, who first gained prominence in Chile after clinching a bronze medal at the Pan American Games in Santiago last year, had retired from competitive table tennis decades ago.
She initially left the sport to focus on her business and family, but the COVID-19 pandemic marked her return to the game.
Her incredible journey back to the sport reached its pinnacle as she took to the Olympic stage in Paris.
“I never imagined making it to the Olympic Games because I took it up for entertainment, to do some sport,” Zeng told The Associated Press at the Chilean Olympic training center.
“Qualifying for an Olympics is a gigantic dream, and being able to fulfill it at my age is an enormous joy,” she added.
Currently ranked 151st in the world, Zeng played against Dominican athlete Eva Peña Brito in her debut at the Pan American Games.
Although she lost to American Lily Ann Zhang in the subsequent round, Zeng’s performance was strong enough to secure a bronze medal in the team competition.