cover of episode Science of Success: Table-Tennis Star Ni Xia Lian’s Olympic Longevity

Science of Success: Table-Tennis Star Ni Xia Lian’s Olympic Longevity

2024/10/25
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WSJ’s The Future of Everything

Chapters

Ni Xia Lian, a 61-year-old table tennis player, defied the odds by competing in the Paris Olympics. This episode explores her remarkable longevity in the sport, challenging the conventional age of peak athletic performance.
  • Ni Xia Lian competed in the Paris Olympics at age 61.
  • Most athletes peak between 20 and 30 years old.
  • Ni Xia Lian is the oldest Olympian in Paris who wasn't riding a horse.

Shownotes Transcript

Most athletes’ competitive years are in their 20s and 30s, but 61-year-old Ni Xia Lian) has been playing professional table tennis for nearly 50 years. The Chinese-born Luxembourgish table-tennis player was one of the oldest athletes at this summer’s Paris Olympics. On the Science of Success, WSJ’s Ben Cohen speaks with Ni and Tommy Danielsson, her coach and husband, about how she’s maintained her longevity in competitive sports.

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