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SEOUL, South Korea -- Chinas overwhelming domination of table tennis at the Olympics will likely continue in Rio, but theres drama about just which member of the fantastically talented Chinese national team will prevail.Starting Aug. 6, there will also be intense competition among the rest of the world for bronze and, just maybe, a surprise gold or silver.Among the other stories that could captivate: A 16-year-old American looks to make his name internationally, war-torn Syria gets its first Olympic table tennis entry and two female Paralympian athletes will also compete in Olympic matches.Even if its another largely all-China affair, fans who tune in will be treated to a mesmerizing mix of wicked spins and powerful slams, with players rocketing the small, lightweight, white plastic ball at each other in a blur of slicing parabolas.Heres a look at what to expect from the worlds most popular racket sport, otherwise known as pingpong:---THE CHINA SCRAMBLEJust qualifying for a Chinese team that has taken home 24 of 28 gold medals since table tennis became an Olympic sport in 1988, and all the golds at the last two Games, is a major achievement.For instance, the current womens world No. 1, Liu Shiwen, didnt get one of her countrys two spots for singles, though she will be part of the team competition. Instead, it will be London champion Li Xiaoxia, now ranked No. 5, and reigning world champion and world No. 2 Ding Ning, who won silver in London, going to Rio in singles.For the mens side, current world No. 2 Fan Zhendong, a rising young star, and world No. 3 Xu Xin didnt make the Chinese singles team.London champion Zhang Jike, who was named after Brazilian soccer star Zico, will go to Rio in singles, despite being ranked No. 4 in the world and putting in erratic performances since London. Zhang, for instance, lost in the first round of a June tournament in South Korea to a player from Taiwan ranked No. 63 at the time.The other Chinese man for singles will be Ma Long, the current world No. 1, who lost in the finals of that South Korean tournament to Xu Xin.---THE REST OF THE WORLDAlthough still a source of national pride, some see a dip in table tennis popularity as China has become richer, more confident and more curious about other sports.The rest of the world, meanwhile, has been working to catch up. Theyve been helped by a rule that limits each country to only two players for each singles event; that gives everyone else a chance for medals, though mostly of the bronze variety.While China has the top three womens spots currently in the world rankings, there are three Japanese in the top 10, as well as one player each from Germany and Singapore.For men, China takes the top four spots, but after that comes players from Germany, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Belarus and South Korea.The United States has never medaled in table tennis, but there is excitement about the future. Kanak Jha, now 16, was the youngest male to qualify for table tennis in Olympic history when he made the U.S. team in April while still 15.---DOUBLE DUTYTwo female Paralympian table tennis athletes will also compete in the Olympic games -- a first, according to table tennis officials.Natalia Partyka of Poland, who was born without a right hand and forearm, has been in the last two Olympics, in Beijing and London. Partyka has also won gold three times at the Paralympics.It is the first Olympics for Melissa Tapper of Australia, whose right arm has nerve damage.---SYRIASyria will send its first player to an Olympic table tennis tournament, despite a long, calamitous war.Heba Allejji will represent Syria in Rio after being awarded a special place in the table tennis competition.The 19-year-old is currently ranked No. 713 in the world.She has competed in international competitions before, including the 2016 Asian Olympic qualifiers and the World Tour Qatar Open.Jeff Kent Astros Jersey .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Lance Mccullers Jr. Jersey . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. https://www.cheapastros.com/963o-jim-umbricht-jersey-astros.html . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. Will Harris Astros Jersey . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. Collin McHugh Astros Jersey . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday.Brisbane coach Wayne Bennetts years of experience tell him form and fitness are all that matter going into a NRL finals campaign.Fortunately for the seven-time premiership coach, he feels both those elements are present in his Broncos outfit heading into this years playoffs.The Broncos are still a chance for a top-four finish after their convincing victory last weekend over ladder leaders Melbourne.A win over the Sydney Roosters on Thursday night and then a North Queensland loss to Gold Coast on Saturday would lift the 2015 grand finalists into fourth spot.But Bennett says a top-four finish matters less than how his team are travelling going into September.The important thing about finals, because Ive been in a few series, is that youre virtually injury-free and playing good football at that time of the year, Bennett said.You can be top of the league and you can be playing terrible and you probably know youre not going to get where you want to go deep down.If your forms good, regardless of where you finish, I just think you can still have a chance.Were both of those at the moment. Our forms good and were virtually injury-free.Bennett confirmed on Wednesday hooker Andrew McCullough would play despite missing Mondays training session with an ankle injury.The Roosters head north aiminng to end a disappointing campaign on a high.dddddddddddd.Trent Robinsons men are gunning for a third win from four starts to end the year but will be without Boyd Cordner and Sio Siua Taukeiaho.Ryan Matterson and Isaac Liu come into the starting line-up while Mitchell Frei is on the bench along with potential NRL debutant Nat Butcher.Despite a campaign which has left the Roosters languishing in 15th, Bennett is wary of his opponents after a 32-16 loss in July to the Tricolours.They towelled us up about six weeks ago down there - made us look pretty ordinary.Theyre a good football team still and theyve had some good results since then against the Cowboys and a few other top sides.Weve got our hands full, Bennett said.BRISBANE v ROOSTERS - Key match stats:* Broncos captain Corey Parker will play his 345th NRL match on Thursday and possibly his final one at Suncorp Stadium* Former Bronco Dale Copley came back to haunt his old club five weeks ago, scoring twice and setting up another in the Roosters 32-16 victory in Sydney* Roosters star Blake Ferguson has seven tries in seven matches against the Broncos including two in last years preliminary final defeat ' ' '