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U.S. hopes for table tennis medal end
By Tommy Perkins // USA Table Tennis // August 17, 2004
Athens, Greece – Gao Jun (Gaithersburg, Md.) was the last hope for the U.S. team to medal in the 2004 Olympic Games. The 15-year-old Ai Fukuhara who is ranked #27 in the world swept Gao in four games.
WOMEN’S SINGLES – 3rd Round
Gao Jun (Gaithersburg, Md.) USA (#12) vs. Ai Fukuhara JPN (#47)
Gao [-3, -6, -8, -9]
Fukuhara [11, 11, 11, 11]
USA loses 4 – 0
“I killed myself,” says Gao. “No one expected me to lose so I didn’t feel any pressure,” Gao adds. Women’s teammate Jasna Reed said, “She didn’t feel physically well this morning.”
Jasna adds, “Fukuhara has been playing since she was 3 or 4 years old and Japan has invested a lot of money in her…it’s not a surprise she played so well.”
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