Advertisement

Japanese teen youngest table tennis medallist

Japan's Mima Ito celebrates winning the women's team bronze medal table tennis match against Singapore in Rio de Janeiro on August 16, 2016

At 15 years and 300 days, Mima Ito became the youngest ever Olympic table tennis medallist when picking up women's team bronze on Tuesday. The Japanese teen takes over the honour from China's Guo Yue who was 16 years, one month and three days old when she won doubles bronze at Athens in 2004. Ito linked up with Ai Fukuhara and Kasumi Ishikawa to defeat Singapore 3-1 for third place. After securing two of Japan's two points Ito said: "I am just happy to win the medal. "Fukuhara and Ishikawa played well. It was because all of us that we got this medal, not just my performance. "I am looking forward to getting home and showing my medal to my family and supporters." The final later Tuesday pits Germany against defending champions China, who have already won both the men's and women's singles and are seeking their third consecutive Games' clean sweep of titles.