Jian Fang Lay-Hong (Chinese: 洪剑芳; pinyin: Hóng Jiànfāng; born 6 March 1973), is a right-handed Chinese-born Australian ladies table tennis player. She plays penhold, with a long pimple rubber at one side for use of attacking, blocking as well as chopping. She is currently number 1 female player in Australia, as well as number 141 in the world.[1]

Jian Fang Lay
Personal information
Full nameJian Fang Lay-Hong
Nationality Australia
Born (1973-03-06) 6 March 1973 (age 53)
Height1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Weight58 kg (128 lb)
Sport
SportTable tennis
Medal record
Women's table tennis
Representing  Australia
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place2002 ManchesterMixed doubles
Silver medal – second place2002 ManchesterTeam
Silver medal – second place2006 MelbourneTeam
Silver medal – second place2014 GlasgowMixed doubles
Silver medal – second place2022 BirminghamDoubles
Bronze medal – third place2002 ManchesterDoubles
Bronze medal – third place2006 MelbourneDoubles
Bronze medal – third place2014 GlasgowTeam
Bronze medal – third place2022 BirminghamTeam
Oceania Championships
Gold medal – first place2000 KoumacTeam
Gold medal – first place2002 SuvaSingles
Gold medal – first place2002 SuvaDoubles
Gold medal – first place2002 SuvaTeam
Gold medal – first place2004 WhangareiTeam
Gold medal – first place2010 AucklandDoubles
Gold medal – first place2010 AucklandTeam
Silver medal – second place2000 KoumacSingles
Silver medal – second place2000 KoumacDoubles
Silver medal – second place2002 SuvaMixed Doubles
Silver medal – second place2004 WhangareiSingles
Silver medal – second place2004 WhangareiDoubles
Silver medal – second place2004 WhangareiMixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place2000 KoumacMixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place2010 AucklandSingles
Bronze medal – third place2010 AucklandMixed doubles

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Lay-Hong became the first Australian woman to compete at 6 Olympic games.[2] She won her first 3 matches but then lost in Round 3 to Han Ying of Germany 4-0 so did not advance to the round of 16. She also competed with Michelle Bromley and Melissa Tapper in the women's team event but were defeated by Germany 3-0 in the round of 16.[3] Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics details the results in depth.

Born in Wenzhou, China, Lay moved to Melbourne in the early 1990s and eventually became a three-time Victorian champion as well as winning several titles in other Victorian tournaments. She was selected in the Australian national team in 1994 and participated in the Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Olympic Games. Lay also competed at the 2002, 2006 and 2014 Commonwealth Games, where she took home a total of four silver and three bronze medals.[4]

In June 2008, she returned to the position of number one female tennis table player in Victoria and Australia after staying at the number 3 spot since 2007. She was first qualified for the Beijing Olympics after beating Stephanie Sang at the Oceania Qualifiers at Nouméa, New Caledonia.

See also

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References

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  1. "LAY-HONG Jian Fang (AUS)". ITTF Database. International Table Tennis Federation.
  2. "Australia's Jian Fang Lay is one of the best reasons to love the Tokyo Olympics". www.abc.net.au. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  3. "Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  4. "Silver for table tennis duo". heraldsun.com.au. 2 August 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2019.