The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Beijing

The devastating earthquake that plunged China into mourning last month will not dampen the Beijing Olympics, China’s former table tennis star Deng Yaping said Tuesday.

“I think the Olympic Games is still going to be one big party of celebration in which countries from all over the world will take part,” said Deng, a sporting icon who dominated women’s table tennis during the 1990s.

She said the Chinese people had been waiting to stage the Games for 100 years and their enthusiasm had survived the May 12 earthquake that killed about 70,000 people and left more than 17,000 missing in southwestern China.

“To hold the Olympic Games has been the dream of the Chinese people for 100 years and we have been preparing for the last seven years,” said Deng, speaking at a briefing in Beijing.

“I believe that all of the Chinese people are looking forward to the Olympic Games and are not losing their enthusiasm despite the earthquake.”

Deng and half a dozen other former Olympic champions toured the earthquake zone last month to console victims of the disaster, especially children who had lost their parents.

“Our message was to give them a positive attitude to life, that is to say never give up,” said Deng, who recalled that she had been told as a child she would never succeed as a table tennis player because she was too small.