Jean-Michel Saive was born on 17 November 1969 and is a Belgian former professional table tennis.
16 Facts About Jean-Michel Saive
2.
Jean-Michel Saive's father was the tenth-ranked Belgian player, and his mother won the Belgian ladies' doubles championships when she was pregnant with him.
3.
At the age of thirteen, Jean-Michel Saive was the fourth-ranked Belgian player and joined the national team.
4.
Jean-Michel Saive's younger brother Philippe Saive is a table tennis player.
5.
In 1985 Jean-Michel Saive was ranked best player in Belgium, a place which he kept until 2011 without interruption.
6.
Jean-Michel Saive won a total of 130 medals in international singles tournaments.
7.
Jean-Michel Saive was individual world vice champion in 1993, finalist at the World Cup in 1994 and 2003, and he was finalist at the world championship for teams with Belgium in 2001.
8.
Jean-Michel Saive competed in seven consecutive Summer Olympic Games, from 1988, when table tennis became an official Olympic sport in Seoul, to 2012 in London.
9.
Jean-Michel Saive was honored as the national flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics of 1996 and 2004.
10.
Jean-Michel Saive expected to be selected as he was tied in 20th position together with the Swede Jorgen Persson and there was no rule to decide what to do in case of ties.
11.
Jean-Michel Saive's successes made him the best Belgian table tennis player.
12.
Jean-Michel Saive is considered to be one of Belgium's most prolific athletes as he was elected as Sports Personality of the Year in 1991 and 1994.
13.
Jean-Michel Saive is known for his victories but for his sportsmanship.
14.
Jean-Michel Saive was awarded the UNESCO World Award of Fair Play in 1989.
15.
On 4 December 2015, Jean-Michel Saive officially announced his retirement as a player.
16.
Jean-Michel Saive was narrowly beaten in his first attempt to be elected President of the International Table Tennis Federation in May 2017.