Johnny Huang has been a tower of strength for Canada in one of the world's most popular sports. Currently the top ranked Canadian player in the world at number-43, Huang is headed to his third consecutive Olympic Games. He placed an incredible fifth in men's singles in 1996 and at Sydney was eliminated by the eventual gold medallist Linghui Kong of China. He won the silver medal in 2002 at the Commonwealth Games.
Huang, one of the world's top professional league players in the 1990's, has been bothered by injuries this season. He had to retire from a Pro Tour event in Chile due to a sore back and a back injury felled him again in late June at an event in Brazil.
Can Huang challenge the top players at age 41? "He has a wealth of experience and has a style of play that is no longer seen in the modern-day men's game," was a recent description of Huang on the international federation's website. "He uses short pimples on both sides of the racket, stays close to the table and using his speed, attacks quickly with short strokes from both backhand and forehand."
