Brilliant Fang Lay Shines as Olympic Veteran

Jian Fang Lay produced a most emphatic of displays, and created history, to advance to the third round of the women' singles at the Rio 2016 Olympic Table Tennis Event.

Of the six competitors in this Olympics Fang Lay is a veteran of five Olympics, the other competitors are all debutants.

This Olympics Jian Fang Lay, 43, became only the second Australian woman to compete at five Olympic Games (the other being Natalie Cook of beach volleyball).

Fang Lay was unrelenting for a dominant start to her Olympic campaign. Jian played like a juggernaut.

Mother of two Jian Fang Lay has toppled world number 55 Sofia Polcanova 4-2 to progress to the third round of the women’s singles.

Lay was thrilled with her 11-8, 11-7, 11-4, 6-11, 10-12, 11-7 win, and was pleased that her son Nathan, 11, was there to see it.

Lay had control of the match early, responding comfortably to the Austrian’s fast-paced style.

Fang Lay backed up after a tough fought match against Maria Dolgikh from Russia.

In all of her games Fang Lay was focused and determined in her attack.

“I won the first sets quite easily but when she started coming back at me I realised I had to change my plan,” she said.

“That’s when I started to play more positively.”

Fang Lay is in her fifth Olympic campaign and is the only Australian remaining in the singles draw.

The news was not so good for the other Aussies, however, with Melissa Tapper, Dave Powell and Chris Yan falling in their opening round or preliminary matches.

Tapper and Yan were both defeated 2-4 while Powell went out in straight sets.

Fang Lay will compete in the third round on Sunday, 7 August, at 6pm (Monday, 8 August, 5am AEST).