The Bay Area has plenty of representatives in London competing in the 2012 Olympic Games. One of those representatives is 16-year-old Ariel Hsing, who is in the thick of things in the women's table tennis event.

According to the Mercury News, Hsing was victorious in her first Olympics match. She will face 49-year-old Ni Xia Lian of Luxembourg on Sunday in the second round. Hsing fared better than 16-year-old Palo Alto women's table tennis player Lily Zhang, who was knocked out in the first round.

Gary Mihoces from USA Today reports that Hsing is not only a world-class table tennis player, she also has a couple of powerful and famous friends: Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. She met both of the billionaires several years ago, when she was a child table tennis prodigy. Buffett, at least, is very much tracking Hsing's progress in the Olympics.

"I never dreamed she was going to make it to 2012. I couldn't be more proud of her," Buffett told Reuters.

Hsing needs all the support she can get, as she will face a very difficult journey the rest of the way if she hopes to make it all the way to a gold medal.

Stick with this StoryStream for more coverage of local athletes at the 2012 Olympic Games. For more on the 2012 Olympic Games, make sure that you check out SB Nation's dedicated Olympics hub.