Sun Yingsha showed up early to the job interview, prepared with an impressive résumé and a "can-do" attitude. The job in question is the daunting honor of representing China in Olympic table tennis. At only 19 years of age, Sun has already shown talent and poise beyond her years. Sun, ranked third in the world, won the 2019 world championship in women's doubles with her countrywoman Wang Manyu. Despite the one-year postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Sun and other members of the Chinese national team converged in Lingshui City for the "Tokyo 2020 Preparation for China Table Tennis - Olympic Simulation Games." Orchestrated by the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA), the event serves both to refine and evaluate prospects for the Olympiad. Following the Olympic format as closely as possible, the practice games commenced with the new mixed doubles event, set to make its Olympic debut next summer. In this discipline, Sun partnered with penhold doubles specialist Xu Xin to great effect. In the August 10 final, they overcame Wang Manyu and Wang Chuqin in six games for Sun's first gold of the games. The women's singles event was somewhat limited in terms of depth. Absent big names like Liu Shiwen, Zhu Yuling and Ding Ning, the practice games did not have the weight of a full-strength team, let alone a hungry international field. Nonetheless, beating the Chinese team is never easy, even for members of the Chinese team. In a twist of fate, Sun would again face her world champion doubles partner Wang Manyu in the women's singles final. On August 13, Sun claimed her second gold in a close seven-game match. Wang and Sun then teamed up again for the women's teams event. To round out the roster, they let world #1 Chen Meng tag along. In today's final, they topped the trio of Gu Yuting, Chen Xingtong and Sun Mingyang, making Sun three-for-three in gold medal attempts. In China, with its glut of world-class talent, there is a complex calculus to forming team rosters for "grand slam" events (Olympic, World Championship and World Cup). Despite Sun's obvious skill and preparedness, nothing is guaranteed. She may be relegated to teams or mixed doubles events while defending Olympic singles gold medalist Ding Ning and world #1 Chen Meng represent their country in singles. Sun Yingsha aced her interview. It is now in the hands of the CTTA whether or not she gets the job.

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