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IN HER youth, Xian Yifang was at best, a provincial player in China.
She played for the Hebei team but failed to make the national table tennis team.
When she left China in 1997 to play for a French club, she thought that her chance to compete at the Olympics went away too.
But her hopes were revived when she received French citizenship in 2005.
The 30-year-old, who resides in the north-western French city of Rouen, said: 'Getting to compete in the coming Olympics validates my decision to leave China.
'As an athlete, you want to be part of these Games at least once in your career.'
No less than 29 China-born women paddlers will represent their adopted countries at the Beijing Olympics.
Among them, Spain's Zhu Fang, Wu Xue of the Dominican Republic, Austria's Li Qiangbing, the United States' Wang Chen and Singapore's Li Jiawei will return to their hometown.
Zhu Fang, 32, said: 'It's too bad that I won't be playing for China. That would have been perfect.
'But I'm lucky enough to compete in my first Olympics at my birthplace.'
The effects of China's table tennis system is far-reaching, with products in all continents - barring Antarctica, which will not be represented at the Beijing Games.
Moving abroad has helped many paddlers kick-start, reignite or prolong their careers.
Xian, who is at the TMS Singapore Open, said: 'There are very few opportunities in China.
'Everyone trains very hard from a young age and no one is willing to give up their dreams so easily.'
Wang Chen was twice overlooked for the Chinese Olympic team despite being part of China's 1997 World Championship-winning team. She will make her Olympic debut at the age of 33 as an American.
The Americans also boast Gao Jun, 38, an Olympic silver medallist in 1992 with China.
Dang Ye Seo, formerly known as Tang Na, went to South Korea in 2001 as a sparring partner but has since emerged as an Olympic medal prospect.
But despite the player exodus, China has hardly been affected.
Since table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1988, nine of the 10 women's gold medals were won by China.
Only one paddler has come back to haunt them - Chen Jing.
Chen was the 1988 Seoul Games singles champion with China.
But she went on to represent Taiwan at the 1996 Atlanta Games, where she claimed the silver after defeating China's Qiao Hong in the semi-finals.
The men's game has not seen such an influx of Chinese players. Only slightly more than 10 former China nationals will be representing new countries in Beijing.
But that has not stopped the International Table Tennis Federation from imposing a rule in March with the aim of ensuring that countries develop their own local talent.
The rule, which takes effect on Sept 1, bars China-born citizens aged over 21 from playing for their new country in the World Championships and the World Cup, but not the Olympics.
Players aged 15 to 18 must wait five years before competing for their new country, while those aged 18 to 21 will need to wait seven years.
Those under 15 must wait three years.
But even with the new rules, Germany's Zhenqi Barthel does not see China's dominance waning.
After all, China will still keep its best talent.
She said: 'China will always be the best team in the world now - no matter what happens.
'In the future, it'll be more of the same.'
linxinyi@sph.com.sg
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