I was scrolling through Weibo during my lunch break when a video stopped me mid-bite of my sandwich – there was this sprightly 81-year-old Hong Kong grandfather, Zhang Yaozhao, smashing table tennis balls like a pro at China’s 15th National Games. The steam from my coffee cup fogged up my phone screen as I leaned closer, completely forgetting about my food.
What got me wasn’t just his age (though that’s impressive enough). It was how he casually mentioned starting table tennis at 66 – an age when most people are thinking about retirement hobbies, not competitive sports. ‘The Hong Kong Table Tennis Association notified me about the National Games trials,’ Zhang said in the video, his eyes crinkling with smile lines. ’29 people signed up, and in the end… I won.’
I could practically hear the satisfying ‘ping-pong’ rhythm of his matches through the screen. Last year, this incredible senior won the World Veterans Tour in the 80+ age category. Now he’s making history as the oldest participant in this year’s National Games’ mass competition events.
This hit particularly close to home because my own dad, a 70-year-old living in Toronto, recently took up badminton after decades of claiming he was ‘too old for sports.’ After seeing Zhang’s story, I immediately forwarded it to him with the caption: ‘Your new idol, Dad!’
What fascinates me most is how Zhang represents a growing trend. The National Games have been actively encouraging public participation since 2017, with events specifically designed for amateur athletes. According to the organizing committee, over 40% of this year’s participants in mass events are above 50 years old – a number that’s tripled since the initiative began.
As I watched Zhang’s paddle slice through the air with surprising agility, I thought about how often we impose artificial limits on ourselves. ‘I’m too old to start something new’ or ‘That ship has sailed’ – phrases I’ve caught myself saying more than I’d like to admit. Meanwhile, this octogenarian is out there rewriting the rulebook.
The video ended with Zhang laughing about his ‘beginner’s luck,’ though there’s clearly years of dedication behind those precise returns. It made me wonder – how many of us have secret dreams we’ve shelved because we thought our time had passed? Maybe it’s time to dust off those old ambitions, whether it’s learning Mandarin, trying calligraphy, or yes, even picking up a sport.
Now I’m curious – have you or someone you know taken up a new passion later in life? Drop your inspiring stories in the comments! (And if anyone’s forming a senior table tennis club in my area… asking for a friend.)
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