Lily Zhang couldn’t help the U.S. to its first Olympic table tennis medal in London two years ago. But the 18-year-old came through in Nanjing on Wednesday, becoming the first American to win a table tennis medal at the Youth Olympics.
She won bronze in women’s singles, losing the first game to Japan’s Miyu Kato but coming back to take the match 4-2. The dominant Chinese claimed both women’s and men’s golds.
“I’m floating,” Zhang told TeamUSA.org after her victory.
Zhang is the first American to compete in the Olympics and then compete in the Youth Olympics.
Zhang, who speaks Chinese and is set to start a college career at California, also won her singles opener in the mixed team event Wednesday. The U.S. dropped the group-stage match to Chinese Taipei 2-1, though. The group stage continues Thursday.
The Youth Olympics continue with coverage on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday and Thursday.