To Rio now and the latest from the 2016 Paralympics. Halfway through the Games and China has taken home 50 golds. The country is still topping the table with 118 medals in total. Among the gold winners is table tennis player and polio victim Cao Ningning, who bagged another gold for China in less than 30 minutes against Germany. But it's a victory he waited a very long time for.

Cao Ningning (C) of China reacts during the medal presenting ceremony after Men's Singles Class 5 Gold Medal Match of Table Tennis against Valentin Baus of German at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sept. 12, 2016. Cao Ningning won the Gold. [Xinhua]

Cao Ningning waited 12 years for this medal-winning stroke. Beating German world champion Baus Valentine saw a teenage dream come true for the 29 year-old from Jiangsu.

"This was my last chance for an Olympic gold. I've been dreaming for it for such a long time. If I didn't get it in Rio, it was never going to happen," Cao said.

Cao was a silver medalist at the London Paralympics in 2012. Known for power-hits and fast reflexes, Cao said he worked hard at his skills out of a passion for the sport.

"Table Tennis has changed my life. I met my wife through it. It's become my career, my dream, a thing I deeply love," Cao said.

Traditionally a strong sport for China, the country has already bagged 5 golds in table tennis in Rio on Monday and more are expected to follow.

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