The world’s top table tennis player Ma Long has added a secret new performance-enhancing substance to his Rio 2016 training regime as he tries to overcome anxiety: alcohol.
China’s top table-tennis player has dominated the world rankings for a long time, but failed to qualify for the singles competition at the London Olympics in 2012. But he managed to win the world championship last year at his fifth attempt, raising questions about his mental resilience.
The lanky, muscular 27-year-old from the northeastern province of Liaoning lacks nothing when it comes to technical skills and is renowned for his scorching serve and deceptive spin.
But his struggles with nerves under pressure have driven China’s chief table tennis coach Liu Guoliang to focus instead on teaching his protege how to relax.
For Ma Long, two things are most important. One is that when the pressure gets very high, to make him go to a bar and drink some alcohol. The other was to distract him with chit-chat.Liu Guoliang
Moderation in drinking is key, Liu said, but the goal was to get the obsessed player to relax a bit, because the demands he usually puts on himself are very strict and harsh.
Ma has been selected for both the singles and team events in Rio, alongside compatriot and London gold medallist Zhang Jike, whom he will attempt to prevent from becoming the first man to defend an Olympic table tennis singles title.
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