China's men and women reached the table tennis team finals at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, with their sights set on winning the last two gold medals to complete a sweep of the five on offer at the Games.
Japan's women's team, following the men's devastating loss to Sweden on Wednesday, won its semifinal against a Germany team, led by fast-rising 18-year-old Annett Kaufmann, by a 3-1 score.
Despite first-time Olympian Miwa Harimoto, 16, losing 3-0 to Kaufmann in the second match, she secured the overall victory for Japan by winning 3-0 in the fourth contest against Shan Xiaona, who was scoreless in the final game.