Table tennis at the Summer Olympics
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Table tennis competition has been in the Summer Olympic Games since 1988, with singles and doubles events for men and women.[1][2] Athletes from China have dominated the sport, winning a total of 66 medals in 42 events, including 37 out of a possible 42 gold medals, and only failing to win at least one medal in one event, the inaugural men's singles event at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Summary
Events
In 1992 (only), two bronze medals were awarded in each event. In 2008, the doubles events were replaced by team events to lessen the emphasis on doubles play. Chinese table tennis team won 8 medals and made podium sweeps on the men's and women's singles events at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Due to China's dominance in the sport, the format was changed for the 2012 Olympics so that each NOC may enter up to two competitors in singles events. With gender equality a big focus, mixed doubles event became one of the nine new mixed-gender events at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[3] The IOC will introduce the mixed team event for the 2028 Summer Olympics, while the men's and women's team events will be dropped and in their places are scheduled to be reinstated as men's and women's doubles events.[4][5]
Medal table
Updated after the 2024 Olympics.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | 37 | 21 | 8 | 66 |
| 2 |  South Korea | 3 | 3 | 14 | 20 |
| 3 |  Japan | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| 4 |  Sweden | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 |  Germany | 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 6 |  North Korea | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 7 |  France | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 8 |  Chinese Taipei | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
 Singapore | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 10 |  Hong Kong | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Yugoslavia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 12 |  Denmark | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (12 entries) | 42 | 42 | 46 | 130 | |
Number of athletes by nation
In addition to independent Olympians and the Unified Team in 1992, athletes from 108 NOCs had competed in the Olympic table tennis tournaments.[7]
| Nation | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 28 | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Algeria | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 2 | 5 | |
 Argentina | 1 | 2 | – | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | – | 2 | 1 | 8 | |
 Australia | 3 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | |
 Austria | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 10 | |
 Belarus | URS | EUN | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | – | AIN | 6 | |
 Belgium | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 2 | 8 | |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | YUG | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | |
 Brazil | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | |
 Bulgaria | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 3 | |
 Cameroon | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
 Canada | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | |
 Chile | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 3 | 8 | |
| China | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 10 | |
| Chinese Taipei | 6 | – | 6 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 | |
 Colombia | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 3 | |
 Republic of the Congo | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | |
 Democratic Republic of the Congo | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
 Croatia | YUG | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | |
 Cuba | – | 4 | – | 5 | – | – | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | |
 Czech Republic | TCH | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 | ||
| Czechoslovakia | 4 | 5 | Dissolved | 2 | ||||||||
| Denmark | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | |
 Djibouti | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | |
 Dominican Republic | 3 | – | 1 | – | 2 | 4 | 1 | – | – | – | 5 | |
 Ecuador | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
 Egypt | 3 | 2 | – | 5 | – | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
 Estonia | URS | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
 Fiji | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
 Finland | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | |
| France | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 10 | |
| Germany | – | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | |
 Ghana | 1 | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | |
 Great Britain | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | |
 Greece | – | – | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | |
 Guyana | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
 Honduras | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
| Hong Kong | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 10 | |
 Hungary | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 10 | |
 Independent Olympic Athletes | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
 India | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 10 | |
 Indonesia | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | |
 Iran | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 8 | |
 Iraq | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
 Israel | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
 Italy | 1 | 1 | 3 | – | 5 | 3 | 2 | – | 1 | 2 | 8 | |
 Jamaica | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | |
| Japan | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | |
 Jordan | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 6 | |
 Kazakhstan | URS | EUN | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |
 Kuwait | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 3 | |
 Latvia | URS | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | |
 Lebanon | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 4 | |
 Libya | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
 Lithuania | URS | – | 1 | 2 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 3 | |
 Luxembourg | – | – | – | 2 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | |
 Madagascar | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | |
 Malaysia | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
 Maldives | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | |
 Mauritius | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | |
 Mexico | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | 2 | 5 | |
 Moldova | URS | EUN | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | |
 Monaco | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
 Mongolia | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | 1 | |
 Morocco | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
 Nepal | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | |
 Netherlands | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
 New Zealand | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | |
 Nigeria | 6 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 10 | |
| North Korea | – | 8 | 7 | – | 4 | 5 | 6 | 3 | – | 3 | 7 | |
 Pakistan | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
 Paraguay | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 3 | |
 Peru | 1 | 4 | 2 | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | |
 Philippines | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | |
 Poland | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 10 | |
 Portugal | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
 Puerto Rico | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
 Qatar | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 4 | |
 ROC | URS | EUN | RUS | 3 | AIN | 1 | ||||||
 Romania | – | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 9 | |
 Russia | URS | EUN | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | ROC | 6 | ||
 Saudi Arabia | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | – | 3 | |
 Senegal | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
 Serbia | YUG | IOP | SCG | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | |||
 Serbia and Montenegro | YUG | IOP | 3 | 2 | 3 | Dissolved | 3 | |||||
| Singapore | – | – | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 8 | |
 Slovakia | TCH | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | ||
 Slovenia | YUG | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
 South Africa | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
| South Korea | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | |
 Soviet Union | 5 | EUN | Dissolved | 1 | ||||||||
 Spain | – | 4 | – | – | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | |
 Sudan | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
| Sweden | 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 10 | |
 Switzerland | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | |
 Syria | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | 2 | |
 Thailand | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | |
 Togo | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 2 | |
 Trinidad and Tobago | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 2 | |
 Tunisia | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | – | 1 | 2 | – | 7 | |
 Turkey | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | – | 1 | 4 | |
 Turkmenistan | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | |
 Uganda | – | 1 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | |
 Ukraine | – | – | – | 1 | – | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
| Unified Team | URS | 6 | Dissolved | 1 | ||||||||
 United States | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 10 | |
 Uzbekistan | URS | EUN | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | |
 Vanuatu | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
 Venezuela | 2 | – | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 7 | |
 Vietnam | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 2 | |
| West Germany | 6 | GER | 1 | |||||||||
| Yugoslavia | 5 | Dissolved | 1 | |||||||||
| Nations | 41 | 48 | 51 | 48 | 50 | 56 | 57 | 56 | 57 | 60 | ||
| Athletes | 129 | 159 | 166 | 171 | 172 | 171 | 174 | 172 | 173 | 175 | ||
| Year | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 28 | |