The Olympics really bring out the best in athletes from around the world.
It’s been just over a week since last Friday’s Olympic opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro and there have already been numerous memorable and record-breaking moments. History has been made with some countries achieving their first-ever medals or even first-ever gold medals and with one individual athlete breaking a 2,000-year-old record for number of medals won. Performances in team and individual events have also seen amazing competition, including the table tennis semi-final match between Jun Mizutani from Japan and Ma Long from China.
水谷隼 (日本) vs 馬龍(中国)
— Mogelina (@mogelina) August 11, 2016
水谷のプレイ、馬のプレイ、二人ともスーパーラリーの凄い戦いだったわ!!#オリンピック #卓球 pic.twitter.com/wq29K4hQjT
Even if you’re not from either of those countries, you can’t help but cheer after such a spectacular rally. Ma Long ended up winning this match as well as the gold medal for Men’s Table Tennis Singles while Jun Mizutani took bronze. That medal was also a major accomplishment as he is the first Japanese athlete to medal in table tennis in the singles competition.
▼ Here is another riveting rally where Mizutani earns a point later in the same match.
水谷隼 (日本) vs 馬龍(中国)
— Mogelina (@mogelina) August 11, 2016
今度は、水谷がスーパーラリーで競り勝った場面
馬が凄い速さで正確に拾うなか、水谷が漫画みたいなスマッシュで勝負かけてて、二人とも凄すぎ!!#オリンピック #卓球 pic.twitter.com/KBiSKPi9hd
With all the concern about the Rio Olympics leading up to the Game, they have turned out to be a triumph of amazing stories and brilliant performances. We are definitely looking forward to more Olympic action over the last week of the competition and can’t wait for more acts of Olympic athleticism as the games come to a close.
Source: Kinisoku
Top image: Twitter/@mogelina

Sales of Jun Mizutani Curry skyrocket, show why it pays to back your Olympic hopefuls
Japanese Olympics table tennis player has uncanny flair for mimicking anime characters on court
Table tennis greats serve up incredible 41-shot rally at Commonwealth Games
This table tennis player shows that “nothing is impossible” 【Video】
Table tennis champ Zhang Jike wins tense rally… with his foot
New Travelling Bento pouches turn your luggage into a Japanese lunch box
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Chinese man holds in vomit, esophagus explodes
Fried sandwiches arrive in Tokyo, become hot topic on social media
Kyoto Shinkansen sweets dessert hack – How to make the bullet train’s super-hard ice cream even better
Drink vending machines disappearing in Japan as number drops to lowest in 30 years
Foreign man arrested for walking on Shinkansen tracks, claims he was on the run from yakuza
New 7-Eleven sandwich goes viral in Japan, but is it everything it’s cracked up to be?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Peanuts and Coke becomes a viral hit in Japan, but is it a trend worth joining?
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
This table tennis comedy video isn’t “boring.” It may be the best video ever!
Chinese table tennis champ stripped of $45k prize after emotional outburst【Video】