Ariel Hsing Video Interview, U.S. Olympic Table Tennis Player

At the 2012 London Olympics, U.S. table tennis player Ariel Hsing, 16, nearly shocked the world when, as the No. 115 ranked player in the world, she almost defeated the No. 2 seed of China, Li Xiaoxia, losing 11-4, 9-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9. “This is such a huge confidence builder,” Hsing told the New York Times. “When I just let go and play, I can compete with the world’s best.”

Table tennis has been a part of Hsing’s life since she was a little girl growing up in San Jose, Calif. In fact, for the last four years, she has played three hours a day for six days a week. Her parents re-did their backyard so she could have a space in which to practice. This level of dedication has also been applied to her diet. “There are some things I’ve had to cut off in order to progress to the next level, like I’ve had to cut off all the foods that I like to eat which is anything unhealthy, anything fried,” Hsing told Uinterview exclusively. “Anything that’s full of calories I’ve had to cut off.”

Hsing is entering her senior year at Valley Christian High School and is looking to a career in business. She already has connections with Warren Buffett , whom she calls “Uncle,” and Bill Gates. “When I was nine years old, it was Uncle Warren’s 75th birthday party, and one of his friends decided as a birthday present to give him a table tennis lesson from a coach, and the coach thought it would be funny if there was a little girl also there and I was that little girl,” she told Uinterview. “So, you know, it was just really a stroke of luck.”