Table tennis is among the sports contested at the Summer Olympic Games. It was introduced at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, where singles and doubles tournaments were held for both genders.[1] The doubles events were dropped from the 2008 Summer Olympics program and replaced by team events.[2] The competitions are conducted in accordance with the rules established by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).[3]
Ma Long (China) is the all-time Olympic medal leader, having won five golds.[4] Dimitrij Ovtcharov (Germany) have won six medals in the men's competitions, while Ma Lin and Zhang Jike (China) are the male with three gold medals. Wang Nan (China) is the best-performing athlete in the women's competitions, having won four golds—a figure shared with fellow Chinese players Deng Yaping and Zhang Yining—and one silver medal. Thirteen players have won four medals and six have won three.[5] Chen Jing competed for China when she won her first two medals in 1988, and for Chinese Taipei when she gained her most recent two medals at the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics.[6] Since 1992, the winner of the women's singles has also won the doubles or team event: Deng Yaping, in 1992 and 1996; Wang Nan, in 2000; Zhang Yining, in 2004 and 2008; Li Xiaoxia, in 2012; Ding Ning, in 2016; and Chen Meng, in 2020. In the men's competition, Liu Guoliang (1996), Ma Lin (2008), Zhang Jike (2012), and Ma Long (2016 and 2020) have achieved this feat. Besides Deng, Zhang and Ma Long, no other female or male player has successfully defended their singles title, while in the doubles, back-to-back victories were achieved by Deng Yaping and Qiao Hong (1992, 1996), and Wang Nan (with Li Ju in 2000, and Zhang Yining in 2004).
China has been the most successful nation in Olympic table tennis, winning 60 medals (36 gold, 23 silver, and 8 bronze). Since 1992, Chinese players have won at least one medal in every event. At the 2008 Games, China achieved an unprecedented medal sweep in both the men's and women's singles tournaments,[7] and won both team tournaments.[8][9] With 18 medals, South Korea is second to China in the overall medal count, and is the only other nation to have won double-digit medals. As of the 2020 Summer Olympics, 115 medals (37 gold, 37 silver, and 41 bronze) have been awarded to 102 players selected from 12 National Olympic Committees (NOC). Third-place matches were not held at the 1992 Summer Olympics, so all losing semifinalists were given bronze medals, resulting in four additional bronze medalists.[10]
| Table of contents | |
|---|---|
| Men | |
| Women | |
| Mixed | |
| Discontinued | |
| Medals | |||||
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China (CHN) |
6 | 6 | 4 | 16 |
| 2 |  South Korea (KOR) |
2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 |  Sweden (SWE) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 |  France (FRA) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 |  Germany (GER) |
0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 6 |  Japan (JPN) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 6 nations | 9 | 9 | 10 | 28 |
| Medals | |||||
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China (CHN) |
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | Germany (GER) |
0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 3 | South Korea (KOR) |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Japan (JPN) |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Total | 4 nations | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| Medals | |||||
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China (CHN) |
9 | 7 | 3 | 19 |
| 2 |  North Korea (PRK) |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 |  Chinese Taipei (TPE) |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 | South Korea (KOR) |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 5 | Japan (JPN) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Singapore (SIN) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 6 nations | 9 | 9 | 10 | 28 |
| Medals | |||||
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China (CHN) |
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | Japan (JPN) |
0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Singapore (SIN) |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 | Germany (GER) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | South Korea (KOR) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 |  Hong Kong (HKG) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 6 nations | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Tokyo |
Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito (JPN) |
Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen (CHN) |
Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-ching (TPE) |
| 2024 Paris |
| Medals | |||||
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan (JPN) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | China (CHN) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Chinese Taipei (TPE) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 3 nations | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 Seoul |
Chen Longcan and Wei Qingguang (CHN) |
 Ilija Lupuleskuand Zoran Primorac (YUG) |
 Ahn Jae-hyungand Yoo Nam-kyu (KOR) |
| 1992 Barcelona |
Lü Lin and Wang Tao (CHN) |
Steffen Fetzner and Jörg Roßkopf (GER) |
Kang Hee-chan and Lee Chul-seung (KOR) |
| Kim Taek-soo and Yoo Nam-kyu (KOR) | |||
| 1996 Atlanta |
Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui (CHN) |
Lü Lin and Wang Tao (CHN) |
Lee Chul-seung and Yoo Nam-kyu (KOR) |
| 2000 Sydney |
Wang Liqin and Yan Sen (CHN) |
Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui (CHN) |
Jean-Philippe Gatien and Patrick Chila (FRA) |
| 2004 Athens |
Chen Qi and Ma Lin (CHN) |
Ko Lai Chak and Li Ching (HKG) |
 Michael Mazeand Finn Tugwell (DEN) |
| Medals | |||||
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China (CHN) |
5 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| 2 | Yugoslavia (YUG) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Germany (GER) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Hong Kong (HKG) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 5 | South Korea (KOR) |
0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 6 | France (FRA) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Denmark (DEN) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 7 nations | 5 | 5 | 6 | 16 |
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 Seoul |
Hyun Jung-hwa and Yang Young-ja (KOR) |
Chen Jing and Jiao Zhimin (CHN) |
Jasna Fazlić and Gordana Perkučin (YUG) |
| 1992 Barcelona |
Deng Yaping and Qiao Hong (CHN) |
Chen Zihe and Gao Jun (CHN) |
Li Bun-Hui and Yu Sun-bok (PRK) |
| Hyun Jung-hwa and Hong Cha-ok (KOR) | |||
| 1996 Atlanta |
Deng Yaping and Qiao Hong (CHN) |
Liu Wei and Qiao Yunping (CHN) |
Park Hae-jung and Ryu Ji-hae (KOR) |
| 2000 Sydney |
Li Ju and Wang Nan (CHN) |
Sun Jin and Yang Ying (CHN) |
 Kim Moo-kyoand Ryu Ji-hae (KOR) |
| 2004 Athens |
Wang Nan and Zhang Yining (CHN) |
Lee Eun-sil and Seok Eun-mi (KOR) |
Guo Yue and Niu Jianfeng (CHN) |
| Medals | |||||
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China (CHN) |
4 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 | South Korea (KOR) |
1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 3 | Yugoslavia (YUG) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| North Korea (PRK) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 4 nations | 5 | 5 | 6 | 16 |
| Athlete | Nation | Gender | Olympics[a] | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ma Long | China (CHN)
|
Male | 2012–2020 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Wang Nan | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2000–2008 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Deng Yaping | China (CHN)
|
Female | 1992–1996 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Zhang Yining | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2004–2008 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Ding Ning | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2012–2016 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Li Xiaoxia | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2012–2016 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Zhang Jike | China (CHN)
|
Male | 2012–2016 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Ma Lin | China (CHN)
|
Male | 2004–2008 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Wang Hao | China (CHN)
|
Male | 2004–2012 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Liu Guoliang | China (CHN)
|
Male | 1996–2000 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Qiao Hong | China (CHN)
|
Female | 1992–1996 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Kong Linghui | China (CHN)
|
Male | 1996–2000 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Xu Xin | China (CHN)
|
Male | 2016–2020 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Guo Yue | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2004–2012 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Wang Liqin | China (CHN)
|
Male | 2000–2008 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Chen Meng | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2020 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Chen Jing | China (CHN) Chinese Taipei (TPE)
|
Female | 1988 1996–2000 |
1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Wang Tao | China (CHN)
|
Male | 1992–1996 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Mima Ito | Japan (JPN)
|
Female | 2016–2020 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Jun Mizutani | Japan (JPN)
|
Male | 2016–2020 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Ryu Seung-min | South Korea (KOR)
|
Male | 2004–2012 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Fan Zhendong | China (CHN)
|
Male | 2020 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Li Ju | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Liu Shiwen | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2016–2020 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Lü Lin | China (CHN)
|
Male | 1992, 1996 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Sun Yingsha | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2020 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Jan-Ove Waldner | Sweden (SWE)
|
Male | 1992, 2000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Yoo Nam-kyu | South Korea (KOR)
|
Male | 1988–1996 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Hyun Jung-hwa | South Korea (KOR)
|
Female | 1988–1992 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Chen Longcan | China (CHN)
|
Male | 1988 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Chen Qi | China (CHN)
|
Male | 2004 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Wang Manyu | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Wei Qingguang | China (CHN)
|
Male | 1988 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Yan Sen | China (CHN)
|
Male | 2000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Yang Young-ja | South Korea (KOR)
|
Female | 1988 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Dimitrij Ovtcharov | Germany (GER)
|
Male | 2008–2020 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Timo Boll | Germany (GER)
|
Male | 2008–2020 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Kasumi Ishikawa | Japan (JPN)
|
Female | 2012–2020 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Feng Tianwei | Singapore (SIN)
|
Female | 2008–2012 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Jiao Zhimin | China (CHN)
|
Female | 1988 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Jean-Philippe Gatien | France (FRA)
|
Male | 1992, 2000 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Jörg Roßkopf | Germany (GER)
|
Male | 1992–1996 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Oh Sang-eun | South Korea (KOR)
|
Male | 2008–2012 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Li Jiawei | Singapore (SIN)
|
Female | 2008–2012 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Wang Yuegu | Singapore (SIN)
|
Female | 2008–2012 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Ai Fukuhara | Japan (JPN)
|
Female | 2012–2016 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Koki Niwa | Japan (JPN)
|
Male | 2016–2020 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Kim Ki-taik | South Korea (KOR)
|
Male | 1988 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Li Huifen | China (CHN)
|
Female | 1988 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Ilija Lupulesku | Yugoslavia (YUG)
|
Male | 1988 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Zoran Primorac | Yugoslavia (YUG)
|
Male | 1988 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Steffen Fetzner | Germany (GER)
|
Male | 1992 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Chen Zihe | China (CHN)
|
Female | 1992 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Gao Jun | China (CHN)
|
Female | 1992 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Liu Wei | China (CHN)
|
Female | 1996 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Qiao Yunping | China (CHN)
|
Female | 1996 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sun Jin | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Yang Ying | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kim Hyang-mi | North Korea (PRK)
|
Female | 2004 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Ko Lai Chak | Hong Kong (HKG)
|
Male | 2004 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Li Ching | Hong Kong (HKG)
|
Male | 2004 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Lee Eun-sil | South Korea (KOR)
|
Female | 2004 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Seok Eun-mi | South Korea (KOR)
|
Female | 2004 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Christian Süß | Germany (GER)
|
Male | 2008 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Joo Se-hyuk | South Korea (KOR)
|
Male | 2012 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sayaka Hirano | Japan (JPN)
|
Female | 2012 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Maharu Yoshimura | Japan (JPN)
|
Male | 2016 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Han Ying | Germany (GER)
|
Female | 2016 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Petrissa Solja | Germany (GER)
|
Female | 2016 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Shan Xiaona | Germany (GER)
|
Female | 2016 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Patrick Franziska | Germany (GER)
|
Male | 2020 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Miu Hirano | Japan (JPN)
|
Female | 2020 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kim Taek-soo | South Korea (KOR)
|
Male | 1992 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Lee Chul-seung | South Korea (KOR)
|
Male | 1992–1996 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Ryu Ji-hae | South Korea (KOR)
|
Female | 1996–2000 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Kim Kyung-ah | South Korea (KOR)
|
Female | 2004–2008 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Bastian Steger | Germany (GER)
|
Male | 2012–2016 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Ahn Jae-hyung | South Korea (KOR)
|
Male | 1988 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Jasna Fazlić | Yugoslavia (YUG)
|
Female | 1988 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Gordana Perkučin | Yugoslavia (YUG)
|
Female | 1988 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ma Wenge | China (CHN)
|
Male | 1992 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Ri Pun-hui | North Korea (PRK)
|
Female | 1992 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Kang Hee-chan | South Korea (KOR)
|
Male | 1992 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Li Bun-Hui | North Korea (PRK)
|
Female | 1992 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Yu Sun-bok | North Korea (PRK)
|
Female | 1992 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Hong Cha-ok | South Korea (KOR)
|
Female | 1992 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Park Hae-jung | South Korea (KOR)
|
Female | 1996 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Patrick Chila | France (FRA)
|
Male | 2000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Kim Moo-kyo | South Korea (KOR)
|
Female | 2000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Michael Maze | Denmark (DEN)
|
Male | 2004 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Finn Tugwell | Denmark (DEN)
|
Male | 2004 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Niu Jianfeng | China (CHN)
|
Female | 2004 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Yoon Jae-young | South Korea (KOR)
|
Male | 2008 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Dang Ye-seo | South Korea (KOR)
|
Female | 2008 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Park Mi-young | South Korea (KOR)
|
Female | 2008 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Kim Song-i | North Korea (PRK)
|
Female | 2016 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Tomokazu Harimoto | Japan (JPN)
|
Male | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Doo Hoi Kem | Hong Kong (HKG)
|
Female | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Lee Ho Ching | Hong Kong (HKG)
|
Female | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Minnie Soo | Hong Kong (HKG)
|
Female | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Lin Yun-ju | Chinese Taipei (TPE)
|
Male | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cheng I-ching | Chinese Taipei (TPE)
|
Female | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Erik Lindh | Sweden (SWE)
|
Male | 1988 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
a The years indicate the Olympics at which the medals were won.
| Nation | 1896–1984 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China (CHN)
|
5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 60 | |
| Chinese Taipei (TPE)
|
– | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | |
| Denmark (DEN)
|
– | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
| France (FRA)
|
– | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | |
| Germany (GER)
|
– | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | |
| Hong Kong (HKG)
|
– | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | |
| Japan (JPN)
|
– | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | |
| North Korea (PRK)
|
– | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 4 | |
| Singapore (SIN)
|
– | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | – | – | 3 | |
| South Korea (KOR)
|
4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 18 | |
| Sweden (SWE)
|
1 | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | |
| Yugoslavia (YUG)
|
2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
There has been three podium sweeps in Olympic table tennis history. This is when athletes from one NOC win all three medals in a single event. This has not been possible since the conclusion of the 2008 Olympic games, since following China's podium sweeps, the ITTF has limited each country at the Olympics to a maximum of two contestants per gender.[11][12]
| Games | Event | NOC | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Beijing | Men's singles | China (CHN)
|
Ma Lin | Wang Hao | Wang Liqin |
| 1988 Seoul | Women's singles | China (CHN)
|
Chen Jing | Li Huifen | Jiao Zhimin |
| 2008 Beijing | Women's singles | China (CHN)
|
Zhang Yining | Wang Nan | Guo Yue |
