BEIJING, April 21 (Xinhua) -- China's Olympic and world champion Liu Shiwen said she still feels the urge to keep fighting despite four years away from international competition.
Liu, who serves as co-chair of the International Table Tennis Federation Athletes' Commission, is seeking re-election. Voting will take place during the 2026 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London.
Her prolonged absence from international play has drawn some skepticism.
"Some people will say, 'Liu Shiwen is no longer playing international events; we see her less often. Can she still understand the struggles of active players?'" said Liu, who won the women's singles title at the 2019 World Championships.
A decade after her world championships debut, and following two defeats in the final, Liu claimed her long-awaited title in Budapest.
Since losing to teammate Sun Yingsha in the round of 16 at the 2022 World Table Tennis Singapore Smash, Liu has rarely appeared in international competition.
However, her competitive edge remains undimmed. At last year's 15th National Games, the 34-year-old partnered Lin Gaoyuan to win mixed doubles gold.
Off the court, Liu and India's Sharath Kamal Achanta, the other co-chair of the Athletes' Commission, have represented players' interests at ITTF Executive Board meetings, conveying their concerns directly to decision-makers.
"My focus is no longer on scores, but on whether the competition schedule had been too tight and leads to excessive fatigue, whether prize money distribution can be fairer, whether racket control procedures can be clearer, and whether TTR results are accurate enough," she said.
"I no longer fight for gold medals for myself, I fight for a better environment for other players."
To overcome language barriers, Liu has spent recent years studying English while maintaining her training.
"If I cannot clearly voice players' demands, no amount of determination will help," she said.
Liu described the Athletes' Commission as a "silent shadow," citing two main challenges: limited direct communication between international bodies and individual players, and insufficient time and resources to reach all athletes.
"Actually this is a practical problem faced by every Athletes' Commission. It is also the main issue we raised and tried to improve after the ITTF Executive Board election in 2025," she said.
If re-elected, Liu said she will work to clarify responsibilities among commission members, increase in-person engagement with players, and secure dedicated staff support.
"Some people ask me, 'You have already won dozens of world titles, why spend time on such a thankless task?' My answer is simple: table tennis has given me everything, and I'd like to give back to it a better future if I can," Liu said.
Liu is currently pursuing a PhD at Zhejiang University and serves as president of the Guangzhou Table Tennis Association. She began playing table tennis at the age of five and said she has never left the sport.
The Chinese Table Tennis Association expressed full support for her candidacy.
"As a representative of elite table tennis players, Liu has always upheld the philosophy of 'serving athletes and promoting the development of the sport,'" the association said in a statement.
"She will continue to serve as a bridge for athletes in international sports affairs, enhancing understanding and communication between international organizations and the athlete community, and contributing to the development of table tennis worldwide," it added.
In response, Liu said, "The fire to keep fighting is back in my heart." ■
