By Emily Goddard

Liu Gaoyang and her Chinese team mates successfully defended their team title at the World Junior Table Tennis Championships ©Rémy Gros/ITTFChina's boys and girls have both successfully defended their team titles at the World Junior Table Tennis Championships on home turf.

The girls' team, led by Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games champion Liu Gaoyang, claimed their fourth consecutive world team crown with a 3-0 victory over rivals Japan at the Minhang Indoor stadium in Shanghai.

"I tried to relax and play my best table tennis," Liu said.

"Last year I didn't play my best, so I did not want history to repeat itself.

"2014 has been a perfect year for me, winning the title at the Youth Olympic Games and now this.

"Hopefully I can also win the girls' singles title next Sunday (December 7) to make my year even better."

The United States girls claimed a historic bronze and became the first ever North American nation to win a medal at the World Junior Championships.

Hong Kong also secured a bronze as the losing semi-finalists.

China's boys won their ninth world junior table tennis team title in a row ©Rémy Gros/ITTFChina's boys won their ninth world junior table tennis team title in a row ©Rémy Gros/ITTF


Meanwhile, the boys' final was much like the girls' as the hosts defeated Japan 3-0 to win their ninth world junior table tennis team title in a row.

"Because China did not win the boys' singles title last year [won by South Korean Jang Woo-Jin], we were under huge pressure to win this team title," Liang Jingkun said.

"I am so happy that we were able to play well and make our country proud."

The bronze medals went to Chinese Taipei and South Korea.

The action will continue in Shanghai until Sunday (December 7), with medals up for grabs in the boys' and girls' singles, boys' and girls' doubles and mixed doubles events.

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