China earns a 300th Olympic gold medal with women's team victory in table tennis at Paris Games

China earns a 300th Olympic gold medal with women’s team victory in table tennis at Paris Games

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China team hold the flag of their country after defeating Japan in the women’s gold medal team table tennis match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

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China’s Wang Manyu plays against Japan’s Miwa Harimoto during the women’s gold medal team table tennis match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

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China’s Wang Manyu celebrates after defeating Japan’s Miwa Harimoto in the women’s gold medal team table tennis match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

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Japan’s Hina Hayata, with her teammate Miwa Harimtoto, plays against China’s Chen Meng and Wang Manyu during the women’s gold medal team table tennis match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

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South Korea’s Jeon Jihee plays against Germany’s Shan Xiaona during the women’s bronze medal team table tennis match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

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China’s Wang Manyu celebrates defeating Japan’s Miwa Harimoto in the women’s gold medal team table tennis match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

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China gold medalists, center, Japan silver medalists, left, and South Korea bronze medalists pose during the medal ceremony of the women’s team table tennis match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

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China gold medalists, right, and Japan silver medalists, left, pose during the medal ceremony of the women’s team table tennis match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

PARIS (AP) — China won the women’s team event in table tennis at the Paris Games on Saturday for the country’s 300th gold medal in Olympic history.

China beat Japan 3-0 in the final for its fifth consecutive gold in the women’s team event, a feat that the men had also achieved on Friday.

“Each of us went all out today and played every position well,” No. 1-ranked Sun Yingsha said.

South Korea took the bronze with a 3-0 win over Germany, its first medal in the team event since the Beijing Games in 2008.

China is the dominant force in table tennis, sweeping the five Olympic gold medals in Paris, with the other victories coming in the men’s and women’s singles tournaments and in the mixed doubles event.

China has won 37 of the 42 gold medals awarded in table tennis since the sport was added to the Olympic program at Seoul in 1988.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

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