SafekipediaTable tennis at the Summer Olympics
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Table tennis has been a part of the Summer Olympic Games since the 1988 Olympics. The sport includes singles and doubles events for both men and women. Over the years, athletes from China have been very successful in table tennis. They have won many medals, including most of the gold medals available, showing their strong skill in this sport. Their amazing performance has made table tennis at the Olympics very exciting and competitive.
Summary
Table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1988. Since then, it has included singles and doubles events for both men and women.
China has been very successful in table tennis at the Olympics, winning many medals, including most of the gold medals available.
Events
In 1992, two bronze medals were given out in each event. In 2008, the doubles events changed to team events. The Chinese table tennis team won 8 medals and took the top three spots in both the men's and women's singles events at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Because China is so strong in this sport, the rules were changed for the 2012 Olympics so that each country could send up to two players in singles events. To focus on gender equality, a mixed doubles event was added as one of the new mixed-gender events at the 2020 Summer Olympics. The IOC plans to add a mixed team event for the 2028 Summer Olympics, while the men's and women's team events will be removed and replaced with men's and women's doubles events.
Medal table
See also: List of Olympic medalists in table tennis
Updated after the 2024 Olympics.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | 37 | 21 | 8 | 66 |
| 2 |  South Korea | 3 | 3 | 14 | 20 |
| 3 |  Japan | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| 4 |  Sweden | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 |  Germany | 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 6 |  North Korea | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 7 |  France | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 8 |  Chinese Taipei | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
 Singapore | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 10 |  Hong Kong | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Yugoslavia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 12 |  Denmark | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (12 entries) | 42 | 42 | 46 | 130 | |
Number of athletes by nation
Athletes from 108 different countries have competed in the Olympic table tennis tournaments. In addition to players from independent Olympians and the Unified Team in 1992, many nations have taken part in these events.
| Nation | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Algeria | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 | 5 |
 Argentina | 1 | 2 | – | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | – | 2 | 1 | 8 |
 Australia | 3 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
 Austria | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 10 |
 Belarus | URS | EUN | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | – | AIN | 6 |
 Belgium | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 2 | 8 |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | YUG | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
 Brazil | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
 Bulgaria | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 3 |
 Cameroon | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 4 |
 Canada | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
 Chile | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| China | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 10 |
| Chinese Taipei | 6 | – | 6 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 |
 Colombia | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 3 |
 Republic of the Congo | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 3 | – | 1 | 4 |
 Democratic Republic of the Congo | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Croatia | YUG | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
 Cuba | – | 4 | – | 5 | – | – | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
 Czech Republic | TCH | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 | |
| Czechoslovakia | 4 | 5 | Dissolved | 2 | |||||||
| Denmark | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
 Djibouti | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
 Dominican Republic | 3 | – | 1 | – | 2 | 4 | 1 | – | – | – | 5 |
 Ecuador | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 3 |
 Egypt | 3 | 2 | – | 5 | – | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
 Estonia | URS | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Fiji | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
 Finland | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| France | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| Germany | – | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 |
 Ghana | 1 | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
 Great Britain | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
 Greece | – | – | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
 Guyana | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Honduras | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Hong Kong | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
 Hungary | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
 Independent Olympic Athletes | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 India | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
 Indonesia | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 |
 Iran | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
 Iraq | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Israel | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Italy | 1 | 1 | 3 | – | 5 | 3 | 2 | – | 1 | 2 | 8 |
 Jamaica | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| Japan | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
 Jordan | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 6 |
 Kazakhstan | URS | EUN | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
 Kuwait | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 3 |
 Latvia | URS | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
 Lebanon | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 4 |
 Libya | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Lithuania | URS | – | 1 | 2 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 3 |
 Luxembourg | – | – | – | 2 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
 Madagascar | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
 Malaysia | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Maldives | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
 Mauritius | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
 Mexico | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | 2 | 5 |
 Moldova | URS | EUN | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
 Monaco | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Mongolia | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | 1 |
 Morocco | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Nepal | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
 Netherlands | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
 New Zealand | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 5 |
 Nigeria | 6 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| North Korea | – | 8 | 7 | – | 4 | 5 | 6 | 3 | – | 3 | 7 |
 Pakistan | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Paraguay | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 3 |
 Peru | 1 | 4 | 2 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 4 |
 Philippines | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 |
 Poland | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
 Portugal | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
 Puerto Rico | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
 Qatar | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 4 |
 ROC | URS | EUN | RUS | 3 | AIN | 1 | |||||
 Romania | – | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
 Russia | URS | EUN | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | ROC | 6 | |
 Saudi Arabia | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | – | 3 |
 Senegal | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 3 |
 Serbia | YUG | IOP | SCG | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | ||
 Serbia and Montenegro | YUG | IOP | 3 | 2 | 3 | Dissolved | 3 | ||||
| Singapore | – | – | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
 Slovakia | TCH | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | |
 Slovenia | YUG | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
 South Africa | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| South Korea | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
 Soviet Union | 5 | EUN | Dissolved | 1 | |||||||
 Spain | – | 4 | – | – | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
 Sudan | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Sweden | 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 10 |
 Switzerland | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 2 |
 Syria | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | 2 |
 Thailand | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
 Togo | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 2 |
 Trinidad and Tobago | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 2 |
 Tunisia | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | – | 1 | 2 | – | 7 |
 Turkey | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | – | 1 | 4 |
 Turkmenistan | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
 Uganda | – | 1 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
 Ukraine | – | – | – | 1 | – | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Unified Team | URS | 6 | Dissolved | 1 | |||||||
 United States | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
 Uzbekistan | URS | EUN | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 |
 Vanuatu | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
 Venezuela | 2 | – | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 7 |
 Vietnam | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| West Germany | 6 | GER | 1 | ||||||||
| Yugoslavia | 5 | Dissolved | 1 | ||||||||
| Nations | 41 | 48 | 51 | 48 | 50 | 56 | 57 | 56 | 57 | 60 | |
| Athletes | 129 | 159 | 166 | 171 | 172 | 171 | 174 | 172 | 173 | 175 | |
| Year | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | |
Winners
Further information: List of Olympic medalists in table tennis
Table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1988. Since then, athletes from China have been very successful, winning many medals, especially gold ones. They have won 66 medals in total and 37 gold medals out of 42 possible. They missed winning at least one medal only once, in the first men's singles event in 1988.
Related articles
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