Bundoora’s Jian Fang Lay will represent Australia in table tennis at a fifth straight Commonwealth Games.
Lay was last week named as one of 12 athletes to represent Australia in table tennis at the Gold Coast in April.
She is one of two athletes selected to compete at their fifth Games – former Broadmeadows resident Miao
Miao will also contest her fifth Commonwealth Games in table tennis.
The pair has competed at every games since table tennis made its debut at the 2002 Manchester Games.
They won silver in the women’s pairs and bronze as part of the women’s team in Glasgow in 2014.
Lay has won four silver and three bronze medals across her previous four Commonwealth Games. She is ranked 67th in the world in singles, and is currently Australia’s No.1 table tennis player.
Lay said she is relishing the opportunity to represent Australia once more.
“I’ve been to a few Games now and by far and away the best experience was representing Australia on home soil in Melbourne in 2006,” she said. “I’m just so grateful that I get to do that again in a few months.”
The 44-year-old was born in China and moved to Australia in early 1994. She retired from table tennis in 1993 before picking up the bat again in her new homeland and hasn’t looked back. Lay has also competed at five Olympics for Australia.
