.The performance in the platforms at Roland Garrosu00e2 $ s Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier was populated along with vermillion ensigns, including a glow to the presently orangey air rising off the reddish clay-based court.These were actually Mandarin flagsu00e2 $" thousands of themu00e2 $" swaying in boisterous help for Qinwen Zheng, 21, who would quickly take gold by beating Croatiau00e2 $ s Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3 in the womenu00e2 $ s songs tennis final.As she put down on the filth, eyes skyward and also fists expanded into the Paris haze, the winu00e2 $ s gravitational force appeared to enroll: Zheng had simply created the kind of past that prolonged far past the coliseum as well as the second. This was actually Chinau00e2 $ s first-ever Olympic gold award in the sportu00e2 $" and also Zheng had actually made obvious of the simple fact that the Olympics were as, or even additional, significant to her than a Grand Slam.Zheng celebrates her Olympic triumph on August 3.Photo: Getty Imagesu00e2 $ In China, our company always strongly believe a countryu00e2 $ s respect is in front of personal effectiveness, u00e2 $ she mentioned over an early morning meeting at Nikeu00e2 $ s Sportsmen Home, put quietly in between the Stade de France and also the Aquatics Center in Parisu00e2 $ s St. Denis area, the time after her victory. u00e2 $ I managed [the Gamings] differentlyu00e2 $" the feeling, the fight, the attitude: It experienced various than intermittent tournament Iu00e2 $ ve played.u00e2 $ Birthed in 2002 in Shiyan, China, Zheng began playing ping pong at age 7. At age 8, she relocated, without her mother and papa, to Wuhan for far better mentoring, and since teenage years she has greatly admired and emulated Mandarin sportsmens, such as the tennis celebrity Li Na and also the distance runner Liu Xiang, who succeeded gold at the 2004 Athens Games.u00e2 $ It was definitely tough, u00e2 $ Zheng claimed, looking back at those very early days. u00e2 $ My mom made use of to follow see on weekends. When she left behind, I would certainly keep her leg and cry. When she was actually gone, I would certainly constantly hold her jacket. This was actually until I was actually 13. After 13, my mommy determined to quit her task and happen remain with me permanent, simply to have far better growth as well as far better care. After that, it got simpler. And also our company relocated to Europe when I was actually 17. u00e2 $.