Age, it is frequently alleged, is nothing but a number. While the importance of age in athletics is debatable, one thing is clear: At Tokyo 2020, the range of table tennis players' ages is expanding in both directions. On the extreme left of the bell curve, we find Hend Zaza (pictured, also on the left). The 12-year-old phenom trains in an unlit concrete hall in war-torn Syria. Despite facing unimaginable challenges, Zaza qualified for the world's biggest stage through sheer determination. Despite the cinematic arc of her story, Zaza's Olympic scene was cut short when she lost in opening round to 39-year-old Liu Jia of Austria. Rather than being discouraged by the brevity of her Olympic debut, Zaza is inspired to prolong her next appearance. Toward that end, she is now off to China to begin more rigorous training. "I'm looking forward to training abroad," says Zaza. "I want to make progress and take the championship one day. I want to reach the same level as the Chinese team has, and I'm looking forward to having the same training as the Chinese team. I want to be better and stronger at Paris 2024." On the other extreme of the age spectrum, we find 58-year-old penholder Ni Xialian (pictured, right). A native of Shanghai, Ni won the 1983 World Championship in mixed doubles and women's teams for China. Since 1991, Ni has represented Luxembourg in international play. A bronze medal in the 2019 European Games guaranteed Ni not only her fifth Olympic appearance, but the record for oldest Olympic paddler ever. Like Zaza, 46 years her junior, Ni's run at Tokyo 2020 was over before it began. The world #43 Ni was upset by South Korea's world #82 Shin Yubin, 41 years her junior. The match was dubbed the "fight between a grandma and a grandchild" on Chinese social media. China's vast viewing audience endearingly dubbing Ni the "Shanghai auntie." Ni is amused by her unlikely second serving of celebrity in her homeland, 38 years after her glorious showing at the 1983 World Championships. "I look forward to visiting Shanghai when the coronavirus pandemic situation gets better," confided Ni. "In Shanghai, I can visit my relatives, I can play ping pong, and I can travel around China. How wonderful it will be!" While she is back in her homeland, perhaps Ni Xialian will run into her fellow statistical outlier, Hend Zaza. The two could train together for Paris 2024, discussing the arbitrary nature of numbers.

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