by sportswriter Xiao Yazhuo

CASCAIS, Portugal, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Amid a gathering of the world's top sports leaders, Chinese table tennis great Ma Long took the stage at the ANOC Awards in Cascais, smiling to a standing ovation as he accepted the Outstanding Sporting Career award.

Recognized for his extraordinary journey across four Olympic Games, the 36-year-old veteran reflected on the highs, lows, and relentless passion that fueled his career.

"In a flash, I just relived my whole Olympic journey," he said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua, after watching highlights of his legendary career on screen.

Ma's Olympic story began in 2012, when he made his debut in London at 23, joining his teammates to clinch the team gold. Four years later, at the Rio Olympics, he achieved a long-awaited dream by winning his first Olympic singles gold and completing his Grand Slam-titles from the Olympic Games, World Championships, and World Cup.

His accomplishments didn't stop there. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, he defended his singles title, becoming the first male table tennis player to win back-to-back singles golds and achieving the rare "double Grand Slam." By then, Ma had already become an iconic figure in China's illustrious table tennis legacy.

"After taking the team title, I hoped to someday win singles gold on the Olympic stage and continued to push myself," he recalled. That long-cherished goal was realized in Rio, marking a peak in his career.

With his Rio victory, Ma's mindset shifted. "After several setbacks, injuries, and surgery, I no longer focused solely on defending the title. Instead, I focused on how to keep playing the sport I love," he said, reflecting on his ambitions before Tokyo. "I just want to keep playing, because I love the game."

In the summer of 2024, Ma embarked on his fourth Olympic journey at the Paris Games, joining the team without the responsibility of competing in singles. Returning to a role similar to his 2012 debut, Ma was now the veteran leader, affectionately known as "Captain Dragon" by his teammates and fans. This time, he led a younger generation to defend China's men's team gold, further cementing his legacy as China's most decorated Olympian, with six Olympic gold medals.

"In many ways, these four Olympics feel like life itself," he said. "You start as a kid and eventually become the 'old kid' again. For any athlete, just stepping onto the Olympic stage and winning a gold feels incredibly fulfilling."

The path to the top, however, was anything but easy. In 2019, Ma faced a severe knee injury that required surgery, casting uncertainty over his future. With the support of his family, coaches, and team, he fought through rehabilitation to regain his form.

For Ma, the strength of the Chinese team has always been his greatest source of confidence.

"Of my six Olympic golds, four are from team events. These victories aren't mine alone but are the achievements of our entire team."

Ma even considers 2008, when he was a practice partner at the Beijing Olympics, as his starting point. "Though I was only training with them, I got to experience the Olympic atmosphere and see how my teammates-Ma Lin, Wang Liqin, and Wang Hao-prepared for the Games. That experience truly helped when I started competing in my own Olympic Games."

At the ANOC Awards, the host introduced Ma as the "Greatest of All Time" (GOAT) in table tennis. However, Ma responded with characteristic humility.

"Every era has its own great athletes, and I'm just fortunate to be one of the best in mine," he said. "If I were competing in a different era, there's no guarantee I'd do better than those who came before me."

"I was lucky to find my passion at a young age in table tennis," he said, sharing his vision for the sport. "I hope that through my efforts, this sport will grow stronger than ever before."

For Ma, table tennis is far more than competition-it is a lifelong devotion. Enditem.

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