444 months. Although this duration of time could more efficiently be expressed as 37 years, it somehow seems more epic expressed as a three-digit repeating number. Perhaps it evokes the historical significance of the 444 days that US diplomats were held hostage in Iran, from 1979-1981. Whatever the case, 444 months (or 37 years, whichever comes first) is inarguably a long time in human years. This, as it turns out, is the span of time the noble nation and confident continent of Australia had gone without a Paralympic gold medal in table tennis. In 1984, Terry Briggs won the Men's Singles Class 1 gold in New York City. Since then, China, Germany, France and the rest of the usual suspects have gone on to gobble up the lion's share of Paralympic podium positions. It would take a heroic effort for Team Australia to buck this trend in Tokyo. Luckily, they had heroism aplenty among them. In Women's Singles Class 9, Australia's world #4 Lina Lei upset world #1 Xiong Guiyan of China for the gold, 3-2. Xiong and Lei were former teammates in their native China, but the latter moved to Australia to improve her English in 2017. Was it unnerving to play a former Chinese teammate for the gold? "I don’t think about it," said Lei. "I was nervous but I just controlled myself and managed myself. "I feel good because this is my first time to represent Australia to compete at these Games," continued Lei. "I am proud." With the 37-year curse broken, Lei's teammate and fellow Chinese native Yang Qian (pictured) took to the Women's Singles Class 10 final less than an hour later. The world #3 Yang had already defied the odds, edging world #1 Natalia Partyka in the semifinals, 3-2. In the gold medal match, Yang maintained control in a 3-1 win over Bruna Costa Alexandre, the world #4 from Brazil. Just like that, Australia went from zero Paralympic table tennis gold medals in 37 years to two in one hour. For head coach Alois Rosario, Team Australia's success is the sweet reward for years of effort. "I’m so proud of the program that is being developed in Australia, but also so proud of all the players that have gone before us and have paved the way," gushed Rosario. "The coaches, the players that have set this up. It doesn’t just happen overnight." Terry Briggs set the bar high in 1984. 444 months later, and they are over the moon Down Under.

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