As the table tennis ball drifted off the side of the table on the last point of the first-round match of the women’s individual competition at Olympic Games Paris 2024, Luxembourg’s Ni Xia Lian beamed as the crowd roared their approval.

The 61-year-old, competing at her sixth Olympic Games, had just bested the younger, but not necessarily sprightlier, Sibel Altinkaya of Turkiye, in 49 minutes with a score of 4-2.

That win made Ni the oldest table tennis player to secure a win at the Olympic Games.

But the former People’s Republic of China athlete won’t feel any different to any of her competitors at match end. “My heart is very young,” the table tennis pioneer told Olympic Channel in 2019.

The cheering continued in the South Paris Arena even as the 1983 world champion headed over to shake the hands of the match officials, before turning to fans in the crowd waving photo cut-outs of the table-tennis icon.

Ni, who also carried Luxembourg’s flag at the river-based Opening Ceremony two days earlier couldn’t believe the reaction, blowing kisses to the spectators with beaming smile still in place, which remained while offering a consolation hug to her opponent.