The San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported Arcadia teen Erica Wu earned the third (and last) berth on the U.S. Olympic ping pong squad. Wu, a sophomore at Westridge, told the newspaper the thought of representing her country in London feels surreal.
"The day I did make it, I was not sure in the ceremony," she said. "When I sat down back at the hotel, I realized I just made the Olympics. It's an amazing feeling. It's a random feeling. Sometimes I'll be walking and have that (Olympic) thought. Other times, I think my life is exactly the same."
Despite her Olympic dreams come true, Wu told the Tribune she has little chance of medaling, mostly due to the stiff competition she will undoubtedly face from top-seeded China. According to the Tribune, China has taken 41 of the 76 overall medals given in the sport since it made its Olympic debut in 1988; It also holds 20 of the 24 gold medals.
"Making the team was the biggest goal for me. I'm going to the Olympics for the experience and to see what I can learn from other people there. But medaling is not one of my goals," Wu told the Tribune.
Wu will compete in the team competition Aug. 3-7.
