Lily Zhang, the undisputed queen of American table tennis, a six-time national champion, and four-time Olympian, finds herself in a familiar struggle – the age-old conflict between a child’s unconventional dream job and parents pushing for a stable 9-to-5. At 28, Zhang dreams of the 2028 Los Angeles Games, but her parents have other ideas.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Zhang’s mother, Linda Liu, reveals, “We always try to convince her to stop playing. We just want her to have a normal job.” This sentiment echoes a common theme among many Asian parents who prioritize traditional career paths over the uncertainties of a sports career.
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Zhang’s journey to table tennis stardom began at a young age. Growing up in a cramped Palo Alto apartment, the ping-pong table doubled as a dining table. A prodigy by age 10, Zhang spent summers training in China, immersing herself in the sport that is a national passion there.
While Zhang’s parents initially saw table tennis as a way to enhance her college applications, Zhang’s passion for the sport grew. She competed in the 2012 London Games at 16, but her parents saw this as the end of her athletic pursuits.
However, Zhang’s love for table tennis reignited during her freshman year at UC Berkeley. She took a gap year to train for the next Olympics, despite her mother’s disapproval. “You already went to the London Olympics,” Liu said at the time. “That is enough.”
Despite her parents’ reservations, Zhang persevered, fueled by her passion and the desire to avoid future regrets. She went on to compete in the 2016 Rio Games and the 2021 Tokyo Games, improving her performance with each appearance.
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Now, as Zhang shines in the 2024 Paris Games, her parents continue to express their concerns. “Being a ping-pong athlete is not stable,” her mother says. Zhang acknowledges their worries, admitting, “There’s so many things that can happen that can take away your stability in an instant.”
Team USA coach Jun Gao provides insight into this cultural phenomenon, stating, “A lot of Asian parents—that’s why you see so many talented players, no matter boys or girls, after they reach college, they say bye bye.”
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Despite the ongoing tug-of-war between her Olympic aspirations and her parents’ desire for stability, Zhang remains determined to pursue her passion. Her story serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by many young athletes striving to balance their dreams with their families’ expectations.
