ITTF No.4 (Jan) Final (2023_01_12)

Granada Gold
Family Reunion in Amman
Neuropong Enhancing Quality of Life
OFFICIAL MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL TABLE TENNIS FEDERATION Issue No.4 | January 2023 1

ITTF Group: Tristan Lavier
Editor: Ian Marshall
Sub Editor: Richard Scruton
Statistician: Matt Solt
Designer:Jeff Tokaz
Contributors:
Cecil Alexander, Malcolm Anderson, Elmira
Antonyan, Alaor Azevedo, Antonino Barbera, Claude
CONTENTS
IN THIS ISSUE
Bergeret, Petr Bohumsky, Polona Cehovin, Galia
Dvorak, Charlie Ellis, Ruwen Filus, Barry Griffiths,
4
ITTF Group
48
Granada Gold
Lotfi Guerfel, Dora Jeler, Miran Kondric, Katarzyna
Kubas, Matthew Kuti, Anton Lehman, Ivy Liao,
6
ITTF Summit
58
Never Too Old
Shaun Marples, Olalekan Okusan, Leandro Olvech,
Omar Refaat, Jing Tian-Zörner, Karen Tonge, Daniel
14
China Challenged, Medal Haul Widens
62
Neuropong Enhancing Quality of Life
Valero, Francesca Vargas, Grace Williams, Laura
Wong, Yi Chin-Hua, Yuan Jianan
18
Yuan Jianan, Exceeding Expectations
66
Importance of Sleep for Young Players
Photographers:
20
Never Say “No”
68
Through the Eye of the Camera
Ismail Alfarsi, An Sungho, Malcolm Anderson, Oscar
J. Barroso, Jan Brychta, Joaquin Corrales, Charlie
24
Amazing Grace
72
Magical Murrayfield
Ellis, Thorsten Gohl, Rémy Gros, Owen Hammond,
Hans Lingen, Gaël Marziou, Lindsay McCrea, Gordon
28
Achieving the Right Balance
74
Valued Judgements
Muir, Alba Pacheco, Santiago Regaira, Bert van der
Helm, Mark Werner, Yi Chin-Hua, Frantisek Zalewsky
32
Welcome to Tunisia
78
Rejuvenating the Falklands
Cover: Viktor Didukh, gold medallist at the
Andalucia 2022 World Para Championships
34
First on List
80
ITTF High Performance & Development
Publication: issue no.5 Friday 7th April 2023
36
A Year to Remember
84
First Venture
38
One Chapter Closes, Another Opens
86
Hitting the Headlines
Happy New Year!
We are excited to enter a busy and
productive year as we capitalize on our
hard work during the pandemic; with
the new Executive Board’s strategic
direction, we have a clear path to follow,
we are well-positioned for success. Now,
as the pandemic eases, resulting from
our comprehensive efforts, both prior to
and throughout the pandemic, we have
a defined path to follow, positioning
us for success. In 2023, we will be
close to 75 per cent of a full calendar.
Development programmes and the
Foundation will be back, Para, TTX and
Veteran activities will be revamped,
the ITTF Summit will return; the new
concept for the “Home of Table Tennis”
will be fleshed out. I expect most of all
activities of the ITTF Group to be fully
back. A busy and super exciting year
ahead; it is time to show our sport has
risen many levels.
42 Out of the Box Thinking
92 We Remember
44 Dream Debut
94 Podium Places
6 28 38
Steve Dainton
ITTF Group CEO
48 62 78
2 -ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 3

ITTF GROUP
Official Visits
ITTF Foundation
Sun 6th Nov: confirmed that World
World Table Tennis
Tue 29th Nov: Corpay Cross-Border
Petra Sörling, ITTF President
Table Tennis Day in 2023 will be held on
announced as Official Global FX Payments
Sunday 23rd April, the date on which
Supplier for World Table Tennis.
Ivor Montagu, the first President of the
Tue 18th Oct: present for the start of the
International Table Tennis Federation, was
Fri 2nd Dec: announced Frankfurt will
four-day XXVI ANOC (Association of National
born. The theme will be sustainability.
stage a WTT Champions event.
Olympic Committees) meeting in Seoul. Also,
in attendance from the world of table tennis
Wed 9th – Sun 13th Nov: the 2021
Sport For Nature Framework
was Ryu Seungmin (ITTF Executive Committee
ITTF Parkinson’s World Table Tennis
Sat 17th Dec: became one of the first
member) and Raul Calin (ITTF Secretary-
Championships received the Mention
signatories of the Sport For Nature
General), alongside National Olympic Committee
D’Honneur at the FICTS (Sport Movies &
Framework, the agreement made at
members Sheikha Hayat Al-Khalifa (Bahrain),
TV International Federation) Festival in Milan.
the Convention on Biological Diversity,
Abdulla Al-Mulla (Qatar), Philippe Hao Thyn
ITTF Executive Committee
15th Conference of the Parties (COP15)
Voon Ha Shun (Mauritius), Emmanuel Kolibadis
ITTF Americas Annual General Meeting 2022
Mon 12th Dec: agreed that World ranking
meeting, in Montreal.
(Greece), Olabanji Oladapo (Nigeria), Jean-
points awarded during the year 2021 will
Michel Saive Belgium) and Alexander Zamora
expire in batches between January and
Para Table Tennis
(Costa Rica).
May 2023.
Thu 3rd Nov: attended the ITTF Americas Annual
Fri 16th Dec: Ryu Seungmin, member of
General Meeting in Santiago on the occasion of
the ITTF Executive Committee, appointed
the 2022 ITTF Pan American Championships.
to the IOC (International Olympic
Also present on behalf of the ITTF was Alaor
Committee) advisory committee on
Azevedo (ITTF Executive Vice President), in
Human Rights.
Mon 19th Dec: confirmed that 729 will
addition to Raul Calin, Mounir Bessah (ITTF
continue to be the Global Ball Sponsor,
Deputy Secretary-General) and Polona Cehovin
ITTF Task Force
the agreement signed in 2019 is extended
(ITTF High Performance and Development Director).
Sat 17th Dec: created in March following
to 2024. At the Andalucia 2022 World
the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the Task
Para Championships in Granada, Butterfly
Fri 18th Nov: appointed to the Board of the
Force recognised the value of the Table
was the table sponsor.
International Masters Games Association (IMGA).
Tennis United fund-raising campaign,
organised by the ITTF Foundation, to
Staff Changes
Sat 19th Nov: attended the International
enable Ukrainian players to compete
Fri 18th Nov: awarded the Best Sports
Mon 3rd Oct: Hao Zhang welcomed as
Paralympic Committee Extraordinary General
in international competition. Also, the
Governing Body Initiative at the Sports
WTT Feeder & Youth Series Co-ordinator.
Assembly and the Membership Gathering in
Task Force endorsed the IOC Summit
Business Award 2022 for the 2021
Berlin along with Raul Calin and Pablo Perez ITTF
position to review the current measures
ITTF Parkinson’s World Table Tennis
Fri 4th Nov: Tina Crotta announced WTT
Para Table Tennis Manager.
Alongside Benjamin Cohen from the International Testing Agency
restricting the participation of Russian
Championships; HRH Princess Zeina
Para Events & Match Officials Manager.
and Belarussian athletes in international
Rashid of Jordan, ITTF Foundation Board
Mon 28th – Tue 29th Nov: present at the annual
competition; it was noted that Russian
Member, accepted the accolade.
Tue 29th Nov: Blythe Fitzwilliam
gathering of the Olympic and International
and Belarusian athletes currently compete
appointed WTT Business Development
Sports Federations in Lausanne, supporting the
professionally in several national leagues
Director.
call for international federations to be proactive
in Europe.
in ensuring safe sport and sustainability are
Wed 30th Nov: Robert Lee joined as ITTF
integrated into all activities.
ITTF Athletes’ Commission
Head of Education.
Sun 13th Nov: Members of Athletes’
Thu 1st Dec: met Benjamin Cohen, reaffirmed
Commission announced: Elizabeta
Mon 19th Dec: Ivan Chen Chen assumed
agreement which extends the full delegation of
Samara (Romania), Sharath Kamal
the post of ITTF Head of Equipment.
anti-doping activities to the International Testing Agency.
Achanta (India), Daniely Rios (Puerto
Rico), Omar Assar (Egypt), Melissa Tapper
Tue 31st Dec: Mo Yi Chern named WTT
Wed 21st Dec: alongside Raul Calin, a visit to
(Australia), Stefan Fegerl (Austria), Jon
Head of Brand Partnership Experience
the United States concluded where she met
Persson (Sweden), Liu Shiwen (China),
Sun 4th Dec: Crete will be the home for
Gene Sykes, Chair of the United States Olympic
Ingela Lundbäck (Sweden), Kelly van Zon
World Table Tennis for Health Festival in
Wed 4th Jan: Nathiyaah Sakthimogan
& Paralympic Committee and Virginia Sung,
(Netherlands).
2023, the event will include the World
appointed ITTF External Communications
USA Table Tennis Chief Executive Officer. During
Parkinson ś Championships and the first
Manager
the visit she was a guest speaker at the 51st
World Alzheimer Championships plus side
anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy, previewed
events related to the use of table tennis
the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic venue and
for health. In 2024 the tournament will be
attended the United States Open in Ontario,
staged in Hennebont.
California.
At United States Open with Gene Sykes and Virginia Sung
4 -ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 5

ITTF SUMMIT
Family Reunion in Amman
A
host of topics ranging terms or cast votes to approve
from establishing or reject propositions; it was
a business model both an end and a beginning.
to good governance, from It marked the conclusion to
looking into the crystal ball to a period of enforced inaction.
inclusion and diversity; such The calendar in 2022 had
was the extensive agenda at witnessed a step-by-step
the ITTF Summit staged from return to international
Sunday 4th to Tuesday 6th competition but with necessary
December in the Jordanian restrictions. Somewhat
capital city of Amman.
differently, the calendar for
Presentations occupied the 2023 comprises a major
first two days, the Annual injection of events, setting the
General Meeting concluded scene for a 2024 version full to
proceedings.
the brim, even more extensive
The pandemic on the
than in the days when noone
had heard of COVID-19
wane, at last delegates and
officials were able meet in or even believed that such a
person, not gather in virtual phenomenon was possible.
reality. Welcoming hugs
Overall, in excess of
renewed friendships, convivial 150 delegates present,
handshakes forged new understandably views
acquaintances, views were diverged but one common
exchanged over breakfast, factor, with which all were in
lunch, dinner and coffee accord, was the fact it was a
breaks. Once again, the good moment for the sport of
“family” was together.
table tennis. It was a time to
However, the occasion keep an open mind, embrace
was more than just another new ideas and gradually raise
chance to meet on social the bar.
The Summit
Prior to the official start of proceedings, the ITTF
Executive Committee, ITTF Council, ITTF Board of
Directors and ITTF Athletes’ Commission met.
An extensive agenda:
•Growing the table tennis industry
•Becoming a leading international federation
•The sport of table tennis in 50 years
•Sustainability, the only way forward
•Events for all
•Home of table tennis
•The ITTF Corporate Cup
Also, it was a time for
thought, Abdul and Mahmoud
Raman, father and son,
refugees at the Z’aatari
Refugee camp in Jordan stole
the show; explaining how
table tennis was vital to their
lives, they brought tears
to the eyes and received a
standing ovation.
Positivity for a groundbreaking
event but of course whenever
such projects are a first,
appraisal is needed, a fact
of which Petra Sörling, ITTF
President, was well aware.
“I want to thank our
Jordanian hosts for such an
amazing Summit, there is so
much to take away from our
discussions and I cannot wait
to implement many of the
ideas discussed”, she said. “I
cannot wait for this event to
return in 2023; we will fine
tune our programme to have
even more interactions with
our member associations.”
Returning in 2023, that is
the key, no voice was raised in
protest, it underlines the fact
the initiative was a success.
It is proposed that the 2023
ITTF Summit will include the
Annual General Meeting and
will be hosted in the second
half of the year; it will not
be held during the World
Championships Finals in
Durban. In the South African
city, the focus will be on the
arena, the players, the reason
why we all met in Amman.
HRH Faisal bin Hussein was welcomed by members of the ITTF Executive Committee
The final day was allocated to the Annual General Meeting.
Petra Sörling, ITTF President
Khalil Al-Mohannadi
Executive Vice President
Steve Dainton, ITTF Chief Executive Officer
6 -ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 7

ITTF SUMMIT
Family Reunion in Amman
Jonny Cowan, WTT Europe General Manager
Matt Pound, WTT Managing Director
Raul Calin, ITTF Secretary-General
Wahid Oshodi and Dr Alaa Meshref, ITTF Executive Committee members
Philippe Le Floc’h, WTT Senior Commercial Strategy Consultant
He Xiao, Deputy Secretary-General, Chinese Table Tennis Association
Tarik Al-Zouby, President Jordan Table
Tennis Federation
Khaled El-Salhy and Juan Vila, Continental Presidents
Leading members of Athletes’ Commission: Sharath Kamal Achanta, Liu Shiwen, Elizabeta Samara, Stefan Fegerl
Dylan Mah, ITTF Group Head of Legal &
Corporate Affairs
Mounir Bessah, ITTF Deputy Secretary-General
Kevin Carpenter, Head of the ITTF Integrity Unit
8 -ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 9

ITTF SUMMIT
Family Reunion in Amman
Hajera Kajee, ITTF Gender Commissioner
Polona Cehovin, ITTF Development Director
Massimo Costantini, High Performance
Elite Coach
Leandro Olvech, ITTF Foundation Director
Tunisia recognised, Jalal Zayati, Honorary President Tunisian TTF, accepts award
Karen Teow, ITTF Sustainability Manager Abdul and Mahmoud Rama, father and son from the Z’aatari Refugee Camp Stephen Duckitt, WTT Event Strategy Director Werner Thury, Chair ITTF URC Tina Crotta, Chair of the ITTF Para Committee
Mikael Andersson, ITTF Group Sport Director
Anthony Moore, President of the Oceania
Table Tennis Federation Masahiro Maehara, ITTF Executive Committee Qatar delegation for 2025 World Championships Finals
10-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 11

ITTF SUMMIT
Family Reunion in Amman
Annual General Meeting
HRH Zeina Rashid
(ITTF Foundation Board Member)
Award for Qatar, accepted by Abdulla Al-Mulla, QTTA Honorary Vice President from Graham Symons, ITTF
Executive Vice President
The Corporate Cup
Award for the USA, accepted by Virginia Sung, USATT CEO from Alaor Azevedo, ITTF Executive Vice President.
12-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 13

WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS
China Challenged, Medal Haul Widens
Aname to note for the next decade,
Lin Shidong emerged the most
successful player at the 2022 ITTF
World Youth Championships staged in
Tunis from Sunday 4th to Sunday 11th
December.
In the under 19 age group, alongside
Chen Yuanyu and Zeng Beixun he
enjoyed boys’ team success but did not
gain results that suggested he would be
the star man. At the semi-final stage
he was beaten by Felix Lebrun in a 3-2
success against France, in the final
he experienced defeat at the hands of
Maciek Kubik as a 3-1 win was recorded
when facing Poland.
However, those were to prove the sum
of his defeats; later he added the mixed
doubles title partnering Kuai Man, the
boys’ doubles in harness with Chen
Yuanyu, before concluding proceedings
standing on the top step of the boys’
singles podium.
Thus, considering the event’s
forerunner, the ITTF World Junior
Championships first staged in 2003 in
Santiago, he became only the third male
player to complete the clean sweep.
Likewise, from China, Fang Bo achieved
the feat in 2009 in Cartagena de Indias,
Xue Fei in 2017 in Riva del Garda.
Imposing from Lin Shidong, in the
counterpart under 19 female events, it
was the same from Miyuu Kihara, her
efforts a show of character. Alongside,
Miwa Harimoto and Haruna Ojio, a 3-2
penultimate round defeat had been
the outcome in the team event against
China; in the opening match of the
fixture, she had lost to Kuai Man, in the
vital concluding contest she experienced
defeat by the very narrowest of five
game margins when opposing Chen Yi.
Furthermore, one year ago in Vila
Nova de Gaia, Miyuu Kihara had lost
to Kuai Man in the girls’ singles final;
in Tunis, she settled the debt. At the
semi-final stage she accounted for her
nemesis, before clinching the title at
the final expense of Miwa Harimoto, the
player with whom one day earlier she
had secured girls’ doubles gold. Notably,
Miwa Harimoto had ousted Chen Yi
in the penultimate round to record a
second success against the Chinese
teenager; earlier she had emerged the in favour of China but only just, it was
winner in the team event clash.
similar in the girls’ singles semi-finals,
The results underlined the fact that wins for China but in each contest
the current Japanese female generation six games needed. Yan Yutong, who
presents a major challenge to China’s progressed to secure the title, turned
supremacy; a fact endorsed in the the tables, she beat Rin Mende, Xiang
under 15 age group. In the girls’ team Junlin overcame Yuna Ojio.
final, the result went in favour of China Success for Yan Yutong meant she
by the same 3-2 margin as in the more departed Tunis with three titles to her
senior event; the Japanese wins being name; earlier she had joined forces with
recorded by Rin Mende, she beat both Xiang Junlin to claim girls’ doubles gold.
Ding Yijie and Yan Yutong. The verdict
Historic win for Alan Kurmangaliyev and Hana Goda
A first ever medal for Australia
Pecking Order
Team success for China, it was a full
house; represented by Huang Xunan,
Kang Youde and Wen Ruibo, China won
the under 15 boys’ team event. The result
meant they ended proceedings with nine
gold medals, Japan with two, second in
line, the pecking order reflecting the history
of the tournament.
Since the first ball was hit in Santiago,
the likes of Ma Long, Zhang Jike and
Li Xiaoxia on duty, China has been the
dominant force in the medal count;
Japan some distance behind in second
place. Overall, allocating 0.5 if in
doubles partnering a player from a
different member association, China
has now won 235 medals (111 gold, 52
silver, 72 bronze), for Japan 108 is the
total (21 gold, 37.5 silver, 49.5 bronze).
No other member association passes the
100 mark.
Somewhat differently, France, whose
only prior gold medal was one year ago
in the under 15 boys’ doubles when
Felix Lebrun partnered Japan’s Sora
Matsushima to success, more than
doubled their tally in Tunis, Flavien
Coton emerged the under 15 boys’
singles winner.
Also, in same age group, Hana Goda
added to Egypt’s gold medal collection.
The girls’ doubles winner one year
earlier partnering Miwa Harimoto, she
joined forces with Kazakhstan’s Alan
Kurmangaliyev to secure mixed doubles
gold. A third medal in the World Youth
Championships for Hana Goda, in 2021
she had finished the girls’ singles runner
up, a performance she was not able to
repeat in Tunis; she was beaten in a
full distance seven games second round
encounter by Korea Republic’s Yoo
Yerin. A close call but she could depart
Tunis knowing she was the equal of the
very best; in a 3-2 last eight girls’ team
defeat against China, she beat both
Ding Yijie and Yan Yutong.
Meanwhile, for Alan Kurmangaliyev,
under 15 boys’ singles semi-finalist, his
medals were the first of any colour for
Kazakhstan in the history of the annual
tournament. He was welcomed home a
hero, the country’s President, Kassym-
Jomart Tokayev, sent a telegram of
congratulations.
Flavien Coton
Miyuu Kihara
Samuel Arpas
Groundbreaking for Kazakhstan, it
was the same for Slovakia, Samuel
Arpas partnered Hungary’s Balasz Lei to
under 15 boys’ doubles gold. A first for
Slovakia, it was a first gold for Hungary.
In 2009 in Cartagena de Indias, Daniel
Kosiba and Dora Madararsz secured
mixed doubles silver, prior to that date
in 2005 in Linz, represented by Barbara
Barasso, Li Bin, Mariann Juhasz and
Szandra Pergel, the same colour medal
had been the outcome in the girls’
team competition. One year later in
Cairo it was bronze, Li Bin and Szandra
Pergel once again on duty, the line-up
was completed by Timea Varga and
Alexa Svitacs; the latter name gold
medallist in women’s singles class 9 at
the recent Andalucia 2022 World Para
Championships.
Lin Shidong
Rin Mende
Yan Yutong
Likewise, Australia made their first
appearance on the medal table.
Selecting Bae Won, Nie Chulong and
Aditya Sareen, they finished under 15
boys’ team runners up, after having
caused the tournament’s biggest upset.
At the semi-final stage they recorded
3-1 win again France, both Nie Chulong
and Aditya Sareen accounting for Flavien
Coton. Later, Bae Wong and Nie Chulong
secured boys’ doubles bronze, beaten by
Samuel Arpas and Balasz Lei.
In Tunis, 18 ITTF member associations
won medals, one less than in 2021,
the first occasion when the most senior
age group limit rose one year to under
19 and the under 15 age group was
introduced. Moreover, if only the under
19 events in the most recent two
additions are considered, the number of
14-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 15

WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS
member associations securing medals
compares favourably with the past. In
Vila Nova de Gaia, the number was 11,
one less in Tunis. Prior to 2021, only
twice did the total reach double figures,
it was 12 in 2005 in Linz; overall, 10 in
2013 in Rabat.
Introducing the under 15 category
increases the medal opportunities by
definition; the notable fact is that more
member associations are seizing the
opportunities presented. Taking both
2021 and 2022 into consideration, a
total of 26 member associations gained
medals, the exact same number as
secured medals in the 17-year period
between 2003 and 2019 when just the
under 18 age group appeared on the
agenda!
More opportunities, also significant
in the two most recent editions is the
number of players gaining podium
places who are members of initiatives
promoted by the International Table
Tennis Federation, such as ITTF Hopes
and With the Future in Mind.
Under the umbrella of With the Future
in Mind, Poland’s Samuel Kulczycki, a
member of the Paris 2024 group, was
the under 19 boys’ singles runner up
in 2021; in the same year, named in
the Youth Athlete Development Group,
Singapore’s Ser Lin Qian and Isaac Quek
Yong alongside Peru’s Carlos Fernandez,
gained podium places.
Similarly, in the Generation Next
selection, Nigeria’s Taiwo Mati and Iulian
Chirita enjoyed success in 2021 as this
year did India’s Yashaswini Ghorpade
and Kazakhstan’s Alan Kurmangaliyev.
Meanwhile, members of the same
group, six players gained medals in Vila
Nova de Gaia and repeated the success
in Tunis. Egypt’s Hana Goda, Romania’s
Elena Zaharia, Germany’s Annett
Kaufmann and India’s Suhana Saini,
alongside the French duo of Felix Lebrun
and Prithika Pavade maintained their
impressive form.
Add to the names those of the
successful Australian trio in Tunis, in
the two most recent editions of the
World Youth Championships, every
continent has secured a podium finish;
a feat never achieved before 2021,
encouraging thoughts.
ITTF World Youth Championships,
Tunis, Tunisia
Sun 4th – Sun 12th Dec
Under 19 Boys’ Team
SF: China (Chen Yuanyu, Lin Shidong, Zeng Beixun) 3-2
France (Hugo Deschamps, Felix Lebrun, Thibault Poret)
SF: Poland (Maciej Kubik, Milosz Redzimski, Mateusz
Zalewski) 3-1 Chinese Taipei (Kao Cheng-Jui, Li Yan-Jun,
Lin Yen-Chun)
F: China (Chen Yuanyu, Lin Shidong, Zeng Beixun)
3-1 Poland (Maciej Kubik, Milosz Redzimski, Mateusz
Zalewski)
Under 19 Girls’ Team
SF: China (Chen Yi, Han Feier, Kuai Man) 3-2 Japan
(Miwa Harimoto, Miyuu Kihara, Haruna Ojio)
SF: France (Agathe Avezou, Charlotte Lutz, Prithika
Pavade) 3-0 Romania (Ioana Singeorzan, Andrea Teglas,
Ioana Singeorzan)
F: China (Chen Yi, Han Feier, Kuai Man) 3-0 France
(Agathe Avezou, Charlotte Lutz, Prithika Pavade)
Under 19 Boys’ Singles
SF: Chen Yuanyu (CHN) v Darius Movileanu (ROU)
9,2,6,5
SF: Lin Shidong (CHN) v Felix Lebrun (FRA) -9,7,9,-
10,7,9
F: Lin Shidong (CHN) v Chen Yuanyu (CHN) -10,3,6,6,6
Under 19 Girls’ Singles
SF: Miyuu Kihara (JPN) v Kuai Man (CHN) -8,8,6,10,11
SF: Miwa Harimoto (JPN) v Chen Yi (CHN) 14,9,-5,-
9,5,-9,7
F: Miyuu Kihara (JPN) v Miwa Harimoto (JPN) 7,-4,7,9,8
Under 19 Boys’ Doubles
SF: Chen Yuanyu/Lin Shidong (CHN) v Feng Yi-Hsin/Kao
Cheng-Jui (TPE) 8,8,9
SF: Adrien Rassenfosse/Hayate Suzuki (BEL/JPN) v Felix
Lebrun/Thibaut Poret (FRA) 11-6,7,-6,9
F: Chen Yuanyu/Lin Shidong (CHN) v Adrien
Rassenfosse/Hayate Suzuki (BEL/JPN) 5,5,-9,2
Under 19 Girls’ Doubles
SF: Miwa Harimoto/Miyuu Kihara (JPN) v Yashaswini
Ghorpade/Suhana Saini (IND) 14,4,6
SF: Charlotte Lutz/Prithika Pavade (FRA) v Mia Griesel/
Annett Kaufmann (GER) 9,9,6
F: Miwa Harimoto/Miyuu Kihara (JPN) v Charlotte Lutz/
Prithika Pavade (FRA) -10,2,4,8
Under 19 Mixed Doubles
SF: Lee Hoyun/Lee Daeun (KOR) v Maciej Kubik/Miwa
Harimoto (POL/JPN) -7,6,8,-4,8
SF: Lin Shidong/Kuai Man (CHN) v Felix Lebrun/Prithika
Pavade (FRA) -9,4,5,6
F: Lin Shidong/Kuai Man (CHN) v Lee Hoyun/Lee Daeun
(KOR) 6,7,9
Under 15 Boys’ Team
SF: Australia (Bae Won, Nie Chulong, Aditya Sareen)
3-1 France (Flavien Coton, Nathan Lam, Antoine
Noirault)
SF: China (Huang Xunan, Kang Youde, Wen Ruibo) 3-1
Japan (Takumi Tanimoto, Tsubasa Okamoto, Kazuki
Yoshiyama)
F: China (Huang Xunan, Kang Youde, Wen Ruibo) 3-0
Australia (Bae Won, Nie Chulong, Aditya Sareen)
Under 15 Girls’ Team
SF: Japan (Sachi Aoki, Rin Mende, Yuna Ojio) 3-0 Korea
Republic (Choi Yeseo, Lee Seungeun, Yoo Yerin)
SF: China (Gao Yuxin, Xiang Junlin, Yan Yutong) 3-0
Romania (Bianca Mei Rosu, Cristina Singeorzan, Alesia
Sferlea)
F: China (Gao Yuxin, Xiang Junlin, Yan Yutong) 3-2
Japan (Sachi Aoki, Rin Mende, Yuna Ojio)
Under 15 Boys’ Singles
SF: Kazuki Yoshiyama (JPN) v Alan Kurmangaliyev
(KAZ) 13,7,-12,5,9
SF: Flavien Coton (FRA) v Takumi Tanimoto (JPN) 8,-7,-
12,8,-9,9,9
F: Flavien Coton (FRA) v Kazuki Yoshiyama (JPN)
-10,11,-8,5,6,9
Under 15 Girls’ Singles
SF: Yan Yutong (CHN) v Rin Mende (JPN) 8,-5,-5,8,8,8
SF: Xiang Junlin (CHN) v Yuna Ojio (JPN) 18,6,-11,-
9,9,7
F: Yan Yutong (CHN) v Xiang Junlin (CHN)-6,7,-10,5,-
6,7,6
Under 15 Boys’ Doubles
SF: Samuel Arpas/Balasz Lei (SVK/HUN) v Bae Wong/
Nie Chulong (AUS) -3,-5,7,9,3
SF: Takumi Tanimoto/Kazuki Yoshiyama (JPN) v Flavien
Coton/Nathan Lam (FRA) 5,7,-9,-9,9
F: Samuel Arpas/Balasz Lei (SVK/HUN) v Takumi
Tanimoto/Kazuki Yoshiyama (JPN) -9,8,8,-4,9
Under 15 Girls’ Doubles
SF: Lee Seungeun/Yoo Yerin (KOR) v Eireen Kalaitzidou/
Alesia Sferlea (GER/ROU) 5,5,3
SF: Xiang Junlin/Yan Yutong (CHN) v Gaetane Bled/
Leana Hochart (FRA) 7,-9,10,6
F: Xiang Junlin/Yan Yutong (CHN) v Lee Seungeun/Yoo
Yerin (KOR) -11,6,9,8
Under 15 Mixed Doubles
SF: Alan Kurmangaliyev/Hana Goda (KAZ/EGY) v
Takumi Tanimoto/Rin Mende (JPN) 9,-4,4,-7,8
SF: Tiago Abiodun/Maria Berzosa (POR/ESP) v William
Bergenblock/Natalia Bogdanowicz (SWE/POL) 7,2,-5,-
7,5
F: Alan Kurmangaliyev/Hana Goda (KAZ/EGY) v Tiago
Abiodun/Maria Berzosa (POR/ESP) 9,9,5
16-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 17

WORLD TABLE TENNIS
Yuan Jianan
Racket: Butterfly Viscaria FL
Forehand: TSP Spectol 2.1
Backhand: Butterfly Dignics 05
Yuan Jianan, Exceeding Expectations
Presented by the Galaxy Entertainment
Group, staged in mid-October in the
Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion, Yuan Jianan
of France was very much the player to
catch the eye at the WTT Champions
Macao. Contrary to expectations she
reached the women’s singles semi-finals,
eventually losing to China’s Sun Yingsha,
the champion elect.
Notably, at the quarter-final stage she
beat Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa, having in
the last 16 ousted Chinese Taipei’s Chen
Szu-Yu. However, it was the opening
round success that exceeded all other
results achieved, not only in Macao but
during the whole year. She beat Wang
Manyu, the reigning World champion, a
player renowned for her quite incredible
level of consistency.
Dramatic, it was a contest in which she
kept everyone on the very edges of their
seats, no more so than the coaches sitting
courtside, advisors with vastly different
levels of experience. Guiding the fortunes
of Wang Manyu was Ma Lin, 42 years
old, the playing career over; for Yuan
Jianan it was a young man half the age
of the Beijing 2008 Olympic campion,
19-year-old Alexis Lebrun, results gained
in the past year suggesting a spectacular
international career lays ahead.
The contest went the full five games
distance, in the fifth, Yuan Jianan won the
first three points, Ma Lin called “time out”
but to no immediate avail, Yuan Jianan
established a 5-0 lead, the fast forehand
attacking strokes, the side on which uses
short pimpled rubber most effective.
Wang Manyu reduced the gap to 8-5,
but at 10-6, Yuan Jianan held four match
points; all were saved. Matters level but
the momentum was with Wang Manyu, to
her great credit Yuan Jianan maintained
her composure, no sense of panic,
keeping mind, body and soul together,
she secured the next two points, a major
upset was realised.
Winning the last point there was no
spectacular celebration. She shook
hands with her opponent and then
umpires before returning to receive the
congratulations of a somewhat stunned
coach. In fact, if you had not been
watching the engagement you may well
have thought by her calm expression, she
had lost!
Beating a World champion, overcoming a
leading member of the Chinese women’s
team is news; time and again they have
proved themselves ahead of the field,
a fact endorsed by their performances
at the Chengdu 2022 World Team
Championships; not one individual match
surrendered, just two requiring four
games. The fact underlined the task Yuan
Jianan faced, one of which because of her
upbringing she was no doubt more aware
than most.
Yuan Jianan was born in Zhengzhou,
moved to France when 18 years old,
gained citizenship in 2011 before in 2018
commencing her international scene in
the colours of the tricolore.
She reflects on her win against Wang
Manyu.
What do you think were the main
reasons why you won?
I didn’t expect to win this match, in fact,
before the match, I had booked my air
ticket to leave the next day, I was ready
to leave. I think I played very well, my
serve and forehand attack was very good,
the way I played the first three attacking
strokes may have put pressure on my
opponent; for sure I was very happy to
win the match.
How did you feel before the start of
the match and how did you prepare?
In fact, I didn’t have any confidence
before the match, she is very strong, so
it was normal preparation but of course
I paid great attention to my preparation.
I feel very proud to be able to compete
with the world’s top players like Wang
Manyu. Before the match I practised with
Jeon Jihee and Jang Woojin from the
Korean team.
What do you consider the main
overall strengths of Chinese players?
They are thorough in all aspects of the
game; it is because of the foundation that
has been laid since childhood. It doesn’t
just apply to technique, every time I play
against them, I feel they have a certain
aura.
In the fifth game how were you
feeling when you had match points?
I led 10-6, then Wang Manyu came back
to 10-all; I kept thinking that the situation
was okay, for certain I was nervous,
but at that time everyone was nervous.
Each of us wanted to win the game, it
was important to be totally focused, play
every point as best as I could, calculate
every stroke.
You played in the World
Championships in Chengdu, to what
extent was this a help in Macao?
Yes, the Chengdu World Championships
was a great help being before the Macao
tournament. I was adjusted to the time
zone; it was like normal life, there were
players against whom I could practise.
How did you prepare for the next
matches?
After Wang Manyu, I knew I had difficult
matches ahead, Chen Szu-Yu and Kasumi
Ishikawa are very good opponents,
difficult to play against, so I prepared
thoroughly. I concentrated on being strong
mentally, after playing Wang Manyu I
thought my state of mind improved. I
must admit I checked my flight ticket
before each match, so I was ready to
leave the next day!
In Macao you played in excellent
conditions, what impressed you the
most about the conditions?
The size of the competition venue was
very comfortable for me, the lighting
was very cool, I liked the combination of
black and purple, beautiful and cool, very
atmospheric. We ate well, lived well, even
had free time to go shopping! In short,
I really liked to compete in Macao, the
arrangements were very good.
You come from a country known
for success in table tennis but what
motivated you the choose the sport?
The first and most important thing is that
you must enjoy playing table tennis, it’s
not an easy sport! Always I have had high
targets, since childhood the goal was to
compete in the Olympic Games, the World
Championships, the World Cup; these are
still my goals until the present day.
Do you prefer best of five or best of
seven games?
I personally prefer to only have to win
three games out of five; the main reason
is it’s better for me because of my physical
strength and energy. After all, I am not 20
years old now!
Asian players dominate women’s table
tennis; what do you think are the
major reasons?
Asian women will continue to be dominant;
I think the main reason is that the training
system and the foundation laid from
childhood is very solid, that enables them
to gain a better understanding of speed
and a sense of timing.
What are your goals for 2023?
To maintain a good World ranking and look
forward to even better performances.
18-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 19

PERSONALITY
Never say “NO”
The 2016 World Veteran Championships
in Alicante was his “baby”, the 2018
European Championships in the same
city was his second; on Sunday 6th
November, his third “child” came to
life in the southern Spanish city of
Granada, the Andalucia 2022 World Para
Championships.
Name a person on whom you can
put complete trust, will give heart
and soul to the cause, never shirk
responsibility, then look no further than
Daniel Valero Tuinenburg. At all three
tournaments, he was the man where
the buck stopped; an engaging smile,
he combined endless patience with
unrelenting determination.
He is the lieutenant-in-chief for Miguel
Angel Machado, the President of the
Royal Spanish Table Tennis Federation,
the person responsible for Daniel
Valero’s blossoming career as a big
events’ organiser.
Similar to the vast majority of
humanity, the table tennis life of Daniel
Valero started as a player.
“I was 12 years old; I saw guys at
school play and win a trophy, I joined
them, I wanted to play”, explained
Daniel Valero. “I never won anything in
the Spanish National Championships,
my best was playing for Alicante in the
second division of the national league.”
A good player in a local town team
best describes the competitive career of
Daniel Valero; however, as a coach he
enjoyed greater success.
“I was a coach for 18 years in Alicante,
my players won many medals at the
Spanish Championships; one year we
finished in second position in the Copa
de la Reina”, recalled Daniel Valero.
“Also, one of my players, Marina Ñiguez,
was a member of the junior girls’ bronze
medal winning team at the European
Youth Championships.”
The 2022 World Para Championships in Grenada
Life Changing
Successful as a coach, much of the time
working on a voluntary basis, suddenly,
he found himself out of work. Employed
in the metalwork industry, he suffered an
elbow injury; he had to leave the company.
A difficult time, some eight years later,
there was another change, this time more
positive, a watershed.
“In La Nucia, an area of Alicante, in
2009 they called me to ask if I would
help with the organisation of a local
tournament”, explained Daniel Valero.
“Miguel Angel Machado saw me, asked
who I was; later he called me and we
started to work together.”
Far seeing, Miguel Angel Machado had
been elected President of the Royal
Spanish Table Tennis Federation in late
2008, a post which he holds to the
present day, another person in whom
you can have supreme confidence.
“It must have been 2012, Miguel
Angel approached me to ask if I
would organise the World Veteran
Championships in Spain in 2014 if we
won the bid”, recalled Daniel Valero. “I
agreed on the condition that we would
run the greatest and the biggest ever!”
Spain did not gain the bid, the
decision went in favour of Auckland
but the Swaythling Club International,
responsible for awarding the
hence. It was the first time ever that
two destinations had been decided at
the same meeting.
Work started and Spain duly delivered
the mandate of Daniel Valero; a total of
4,510 entries were received, a record
that stands to the present day. No less
than 68 countries were represented,
15,505 games were played and a
new age group, 90 years plus was
introduced.
The 2018 European Championships at the
Centro de Tecnificacion de Alicante
tournament, offered Spain two years At the 2018 European Championships with Timo Boll
20-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 21

PERSONALITY
Clear Vision
Immense satisfaction but Daniel Valero is
not the type of person to rest on his laurels,
one project complete, think for split
second, then start on the next!
“I really don’t know why I do it; I just
cannot say no.” smiled Daniel Valero.
Simply, despite all the trials and
tribulations that may accrue, for Daniel
Valero, promoting the sport of table
tennis is in his blood. Most importantly
he has a very clear vision of what is
needed.
“Table tennis is a spectacular sport
so we must present the sport in a
spectacular way”, he stressed. “We need
to make the sport is attractive to watch,
we need to consider big screens not just
in the venue but outside so people can
see that table tennis is spectacular. We
need to put on a show.”
Most certainly that goal was achieved
at the Andalucia 2022 World Para Table
Tennis Championships in Granada.
Para table tennis was presented in
dazzling fashion, a dimension that a
decade ago was a dream; the Palacio
Municipal de Deportes de Granada was
a sight to behold, a setting the players
richly deserved.
“For me Formula One racing is boring
but look how well they present their
sport, they put on a fantastic show; we
must follow their example, table tennis
organisers must have vision”, stressed
Daniel Valero. “I think today, people
still remember the 2016 World Veteran
Championships and the 2018 European
Championships; in time to come I hope
they will remember the 2022 World Para
Championships.”
Miguel Angel Machado and Daniel Valero at the 2022 World Para Championships
Memorable Events
Certainly, the tournaments in Alicante remain
strong in the mind of Daniel Valero.
“Preparing for the World Veteran
Championships, my team called me to
tell me they had set up all the tables;
I went into the hall, there were rows
of tables as far as the eye could see”,
reminisced Daniel Valero. “Thinking
back to 2018, when the teams entered
the arena for the first matches, the
lights flashing remains strong in the
memory.”
Alicante responded as did Andalucia,
an autonomous region of southern
Spain, the local government being
centred in Seville, Granada is the capital
city in the province of the same name.
It is an area known for table tennis
excellence; for many years, the local
club, La General was prominent in
Europe, Victor Sanchez, former Spanish
international hails from the area as does
Raul Calin, the ITTF Secretary General.
“We contacted Granada and
immediately they supported the
proposal to stage the World Para
Championships”, explained Daniel
Valero. “They stressed they wanted the
tournament.”
Presentation of the highest level in
Granada but being a Para tournament
there were specific problems to
overcome.
“It was not easy to find hotels that
could adapt to wheelchair users; it was
the same organising transport”, stressed
Daniel Valero. “We had to adapt the
venue for wheelchair users; we installed
10 special toilets, two ramps for the
practice area and two ramps for the
entrance.”
Problems overcome, the effect
was stunning, high praise, just one
dissenting voice, one man who believed
things could have been done better,
higher levels achieved, the tournament
director.
“My goals are never satisfied”, the
comment underlines determination
and resolve. It endorses the fact that
major tournaments in Spain are in good
hands, safe hands, the very safe hands
of a certain Daniel Valero.
In Granada a high level of publicity outside
the venue
The 2016 World Veteran Champinships at the Instituto Ferial Alicanto
22-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 23

MATCH PARA OFFICIAL
Amazing Grace
A
wild card, stunned at
believing such an offer
should be bestowed,
immediately explaining
you are not good enough to compete
in a global event that witnesses the
very best on duty, but then after three
days of play you are crowned World
champion, it is the stuff of a Hollywood
movie or a Hans Christian Andersen
fairytale.
In real life it simply doesn’t happen
but at the Andalucia 2022 World Para
Table Tennis Championships in the
southern Spanish city of Granada,
it happened, Great Britain’s Grace
Williams lived the impossible dream.
She partnered Fliss Pickard to gold
in women’s doubles class 14, an event
in which they were offered no charity.
They had to beat the best to achieve
the feat, they did not benefit from the
demise of prominent combinations.
Furthermore, they completed the quest
in impressive style, at both the semifinal
and final stages they recorded
straight games wins!
In the penultimate round they ended
the hopes of the second seeded French
pairing formed by Morgen Caillaud and
Thu Kamkasomphu, before securing the
title at the expense of Germany’s top
seeded Stephanie Grebe and Juliane
Wolf. The heartfelt celebration when
they hugged each after the final point
brought tears to the eyes; it described
the spirit of Para sport, it will live in
their memories for evermore.
Grace Williams hails for Llanfyllin,
a small market town located in
picturesque North Wales, magnificent
scenery, rather like Granada but much
smaller, a population of some 1,500
inhabitants. In Para table tennis just
as at the Olympic Games, the team
name is Great Britain, in most other
events, the constituent ITTF member
associations – England, Guernsey,
Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey,
Scotland, Wales – compete separately.
Notably, in table tennis Northern Ireland
and Southern Ireland, known as Eire,
combine to form one association.
“Simply I didn’t think I was good
enough, there are so many other
players, I just couldn’t understand
why I was in Granada”, reflected Grace
Williams. “If you had said to me before I
arrived in Granada that I would win one
match, I would have been delighted!”
Date of Birth: Friday 25th April 2003
Hometown: Llanfyllin, Wales
Family: Parents Dave and Mel, sister Erin
Languages: Welsh & English
Education: Studying nutrition at Sheffield
Hallam University
Racket Blade: Petr Korbel FL
Forehand Rubber: Tenergy 05
Backhand Rubber: Tenergy 05
24-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 25

PARA
History Makers
Calm
Furthermore, competing in women’s singles
class 8, she reached the quarter-final
stage losing to Norway’s Aida Dahlen, the
top seed and eventual silver medallist;
another most creditable performance not
anticipated when the flight left Manchester
airport.
“I have now learnt what I can
do, playing in Granada has been a
major help in improving my game”,
continued Grace Williams. “I had no
expectations, I came here to learn, as
the days progressed, I grew into the
tournament.”
Throughout Grace Williams remained
cool, calm and collected, seemingly
not overawed by the magnitude of
the setting; watching her play, she
portrayed a demeanour commensurate
with that of playing in the local St Myllin
church hall.
“Actually, I’m quite an anxious
person”, continued Grace Williams.
“I think it helped that I played in
Birmingham earlier this year at the
Commonwealth Games; even though in
Granada the set up was tremendous, I
was not too overawed by the occasion,
for me Birmingham was amazing.”
Undoubtedly, having competed in one
of the world’s major multi-sport events
was a big boost, so was the fact that
Shaun Marples, the British Para Table
Tennis Pathway Manager, was the coach
courtside, a most resolute character he
was able to keep his charges calm and
focused. You just had to look at his face
and the girls received a clear message:
“Believe, I want you to win”.
Equally, Fliss Pickard had a point
to prove; four years earlier she had
been a bronze medallist in women’s
singles class 6 at the World Para Table
Tennis Championships in Lasko but had
experienced the great disappointment
of not qualifying for the Tokyo 2020
Paralympic Games.
“I felt pressure before the match and
a bit overwhelmed as it was a World
Championship final,” said Grace Williams
immediately after the final. “I knew I
had Fliss beside me and Shaun in the
corner, I knew whatever the outcome
they’d be proud of me, and I’d be proud
of myself as well. I didn’t think too
much about it, but once we got a good
start against the Germans, I thought
‘I really want this now’. As soon as we
won the final point I thought ‘that’s it’
but it hasn’t really sunk in yet.”
Pride and make no mistake,
understandably Shaun Marples was a
very proud coach; in the space of some
five days, he had seen a player grow
from one with a sense of hesitancy to
one with inner self-belief.
“She is very good attacking from the
forehand; here in Granada she found
things that helped her keep calm
under pressure; it has been a really
good stage in her development, she
has learnt, most importantly she has
learnt how to adapt”, explained Shaun
Marples. “Fliss was a major influence,
she kept encouraging Grace and she
kept her calm; both showed really good
shot selection at vital moments.”
Each adjusted to situations that arose;
good players adapt, the British pair
adapted. Grace Williams is an intelligent
young lady, she is in her second year
of study at Sheffield Hallam University,
the subject being nutrition. The location
is ideal, it is the city where the English
Institute of Sport is based; moreover, if
the organisation needs an ambassador,
they need look no further, she speaks
most eloquently and with an engaging
smile.
Equally when starting to play table
tennis she had access to an excellent
club. She was able to attend a centre
renowned for the sport, the Halton
Table Tennis Club. The premises are
located in Runcorn, just the English
side of the Welsh border and organised
by Karen Tonge OBE, MBE, the
Chair of British Para Table Tennis.
“I started to play table tennis when
I was 12 years old but not seriously
until five years ago when I went to
Halton”, explained Grace Williams,
a player who, owing to her rapid
improvement, has now very much
written her name into the history
books of Welsh sport.
The Table Tennis Association of
Wales is one of the nine original
members of the International
Table Tennis Federation, they were
represented at the Foundation
meeting held in 1926 at the Stadium
Club in London. Furthermore, Roy
Evans, born in Cardiff, was President
of the International Table Tennis
Federation from 1967 to 1987.
However, look through the record
books, the only World champion
prior to Granada is the late Betty
Gray; she won women’s singles 80
years at the Vancouver 2000 World
Veteran Championships and in 2006
in Bremen, women’s doubles 85
years partnering Sweden’s Märtha
Göransson.
A place in the history books for
Grace Williams, it is the same for
Paul Karabardak, bronze medallist
in men’s singles class 6 at the Tokyo
2020 Paralympic Games. He hails
from Swansea in the south of the
principality. On the day prior to Fliss
Pickard and Grace Williams gaining
success, he partnered Billy Shilton
to men’s doubles class 14 gold. He
becomes the first male player ever
from Wales to be crowned World
champion!
“We train really hard and
sacrifice a lot to win major titles
like the World Championships,
it is indescribable how you feel
when you do it as it’s such an
amazing achievement; to be
the first Welshman in history to
be a World champion in table
tennis is fantastic”, said Paul
Karabardak.”There is only ever
one first and it fills me with
great pride to have been the
first to do this; I’m really
over the moon to have
achieved this for Welsh
table tennis and for
British Para Table
Tennis.”
Also, to the
Welsh roll of honour
include the names
of Rob Davies and
Josh Stacey. Gold
medallist at the Rio
2016 Paralympic Games,
in Granada Rob Davies
secured men’s singles
class 1 bronze. Meanwhile,
Josh Stacey the men’s
singles class 8-10 winner at
the Commonwealth Games
earlier in the year, gained
silver in men’s doubles class
18 partnering Ross Wilson and
the same colour in men’s singles
class 9.
Furthermore, consider the fact that
Charlotte Carey, Anna Hursey and
Chloe Thomas concluded matters
bronze medallists in the women’s
team event at the Commonwealth
Games, for Wales they are
experiencing a special time in their
history, halcyon days.
Wales for ever, bread of heaven!
26-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 27

PLAYER
Achieving
the Right Balance
Look back at the outstanding
performances of 2022,
each to their own opinion but
high on the list would be the
efforts of Germany’s Ruwen
Filus, a player who balances the
scales; the defence solid but
when needs must, the attacking
option implants gremlins in the
opponent’s mind.
At the WTT Contender Almaty
tournament staged from
Tuesday 13th to Sunday 18th
September; he performed what
was surely the comeback of the
year. In the men’s singles final
facing Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-
Ju, he recovered from a three
games to nil deficit to secure a
stunning victory.
“I’d not played in that many
tournaments earlier in the
year, domestically it had not
been a good time, my family
needed me, I have a daughter
who is in a wheelchair”,
explained Ruwen Filus. “I had
not had good results, I needed
to play, win some matches, I
was seeded, round by round I
played better and better.”
In the opening round he beat
Kazakhstan’s Denis Zholudev,
followed by success against
China’s Sai Linwei; at the
quarter-final stage Sweden’s
Anton Källberg awaited.
“Players were not playing well
against me, they were making
mistakes, but it was somewhat
of a surprise that I beat
Källberg”, continued Ruwen
Filus. “In the next round I
played really well against
Shinozuka; it was a really
tough match.”
A tough match, a
very tough match,
one that was on
a knife-edge until
the very last point;
a 15-13 success was
the victory margin in the
vital seventh game. Win a
close match and confidence
blossoms is a well-worn
phrase; at first, as he faced Lin
Yun-Ju in the final, that theory
appeared to hold no water
whatsoever.
“Against Lin Yun-Ju to come
back from three-nil down
to win four-three was really
unbelievable, I was fighting
for every point, I’d played him
in Doha last year and won, so
I knew I could win”, reflected
Ruwen Filus. “It was points on
the World rankings, I was up to
number 21, so the tournament
was really good for me; I
made few mistakes, good
tactics, changing from attack
to defence.”
First Appearance
A second success against Lin
Yun-Ju provided a milestone
moment in his career, the win
some 18 months earlier in
March 2021 in Doha was also
significant; it was a crucial win
on the road to gaining a first
appearance in a World Table
Tennis final. Having ousted
Belgium’s Cédric Nuytinck,
Korea Republic’s Jang Woojin
and Japan’s Jun Mizutani
to reach the quarter-finals,
he beat Lin Yun-Ju before
overcoming Slovenia’s Darko
Jorgic to reserve his place in
the final.
“Starting again after
COVID-19, it was not easy to
know where you are standing;
I had not practised that much
so I did not know how I would
play; explained Ruwen Filus.
“In the Bundesliga I had played
some good matches, but I’d
lost nearly all, many times
after leading.”
Expectations were not high,
in the immediately preceding
Contender tournament in
Doha, required to compete in
the qualification event, he had
been beaten in his very first
match, losing to Portugal’s
João Geraldo.
“I felt I was playing quite
well, in the Star Contender my
head was better, I had a really
good tournament; I played
really well from the beginning,
I was seeded so I didn’t need
to play in the qualification”,
added Ruwen Filus. “I had
good wins, Darko I like to play,
he’s not as good as others
against defence; he has a good
backhand. I felt I had to attack
a lot, I did it well, it was a hard
match.”
The opponent in the final was
Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, a
player in form; at the semifinal
stage he had required
six games to beat Dimitrij
Ovtcharov but prior to that
encounter possessed an
unblemished record.
“Towards the end of the
semi-final, I could feel my
shoulder aching, so in the final
I could not be so aggressive;
he played a good match, but
I couldn’t attack as much as I
would have wished”, stressed
Ruwen Filus. “Maybe I was
not good enough in the head;
previously, I had won the close
games, but against Harimoto I
lost the first two games, both
very close. However, in the end
it was fantastic to be second;
except for the Chinese the best
players were there, so it was a
great moment in my career.”
Date of Birth: 14th February 1988
City of Birth: Bückeburg
Current Home: Florstadt
Family: Karl-Heinz and Hannelore Filus, brother
Christian, sister Maren; married to Verena, children
Marie, Rosalie and Kilian
Club: TTC Rhönsprudel Fulda-Maberzell
Racket Blade: Butterfly Joo Saehyuk ST
Forehand Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 05 hard 2.1mm
Backhand Rubber: Butterfly Feint Long III 3 1.1mm
28-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 29

PLAYER
Significant Advice
In action at the 2021 ITTF World Championships Finals
Record
A place in the final in Doha in Tour in Minsk, in 2019 he won
2021 meant he set a record, at the Bangkok Challenge
or at least created a trivia tournament. Memorably, in
question. He became the only both events he experienced
defensive player ever to reach close calls, at the semi-final
the final of a men’s singles stage in Minsk he beat Japan’s
event in the full gambit of Mizuki Oikawa by the minimal
modern day open international two-point margin in the
tournaments: ITTF World Tour, deciding game, before losing to
ITTF Challenge, World Table Tennis. Qatar’s Li Ping. Later in Bangkok,
Korea Republic’s Joo Saehyuk, life was even more dramatic.
China’s Ding Song and Hou “Bangkok was a fantastic
Yingchao, alongside Japan’s tournament for me, in the last
Masato Shiono all won on the 16 I almost went out, I was
ITTF World Tour; Austria’s three-nil down against Abdel-
Chen Weixing and, if he can Kader Salifou from France; it
be described as a defender, was a really tough match but
Argentina’s Liu Song all reached as things progressed, I played
finals. At ITTF Challenge
better and better”, reminisced
tournaments Panagiotis Gionis Ruwen Filus. “In the semis I
of Greece was twice a winner; played Andrea Landrieu from
at World Table Tennis events France, I led three-nil but then
Japan’s Satoshi Aida won
he came back to level the
this year in December in Fort match; eventually I won, I felt
Lauderdale.
I played quite a good match.”
In 2015, Ruwen was the
Progress to the final, the
runner up on the ITTF World adversary was Korea Republic’s
highly talented, Seo Hyundeok,
a left hander and arguably
a player who has under
achieved, never realising his
true potential.
“I had played him in under
21 events, so I knew him,
it was a hard match, I don’t
like playing left handers that
much”, explained Ruwen Filus.
“The first ever such title of
my career, so it was a really
big success; also, I won the
men’s doubles with Steffen
Mengel, so it was a very good
tournament for me!”
A first men’s singles title
at an open international
tournament; also, to this date
his one and only men’s doubles
top prize. Prior to Bangkok,
partnering Ricardo Walther, he
been the runner up at three
ITTF World Tour tournaments,
in 2015 in Minsk, in 2017 in
both Linz and New Delhi.
Landmarks in Minsk and
Thailand; much earlier there
had been a significant moment
that was to have a most
beneficial long-term effect.
“I guess I was four or five
years old when I first played
table tennis, my brother and
sister played, they took me
to the hall; I became better
and better; when I was eight
or nine years old, I went to a
training camp for the whole
of Germany”, recalled Ruwen
Filus. “I preferred to play back
from the table, a local coach,
Frank Schönemeier, suggested
I tried defensive play; I tried
for six months, then for one
year, I won a local tournament,
I’d enjoyed success, so I
stayed with it.”
The decision bore fruit, it was
the way that gave Ruwen Filus
the best chance of success,
most importantly it was the
way he enjoyed playing, as the
years have passed the style
has been refined.
“I think it’s fair to say that
all defenders are different;
backspin from the backhand,
attack from the forehand has
become the most popular way
in recent years; I am a little
bit different, I try to have a
mix”, explained Ruwen Filus.
“I try to attack a lot after my
service; receiving service often
I try to return short and so
that I can attack not only with
my forehand, also with my
backhand.”
Undoubtedly the fact that
Ruwen Filus is prepared to
attack from the backhand
makes him very different in the
modern era.
“I think I’m the only
defender who will attack from
the backhand, I think this
gives me a big advantage”,
stressed Ruwen Filus. “It’s
always difficult playing against
German players who know me,
but many players today do not
play so much against defence,
the fact I am different causes
them problems; it’s 50:50,
overall, there are advantages
and disadvantages.”
Similar to all good players,
Ruwen Filus has the ability
to adapt as the situation
demands; also, in recent years
he has been required to adjust
in another aspect; the change
of the ball from celluloid to
plastic.
“Certainly, the plastic ball has
meant a change in thinking;
year by year you get more
feeling for the ball; it doesn’t
spin so much, so not so good
for me”, he explained. “Also,
there is a difference between
various brands and how
they react to different table
surfaces; however, I can serve
short, return short and play
with heavy backspin.”
Now, the question posed is
can Ruwen Filus gain a place
in the national team for the
forthcoming major events? In
2023 he will celebrate his 35th
birthday but performances
in 2022 suggested that he is
climbing to new heights and
is perhaps at the peak of his
career. On the last week of
November, he rose to a career
high no.20 on the Table Tennis
World Rankings
“My aim for 2023 is to try to
play as well as I did in Almaty;
sure, I hope to play in the
World Championships, but we
have a really good German
team at the moment, six or
seven really strong players,
only five can go, I will fight
for a place”, concluded Ruwen
Filus. “I must try to stay in the
top 20 of the World rankings, I
must play well, I think I can do
it; hopefully I will stay there.”
Major challenges ahead in
2023 but surely the signs are
positive; in 2022 he more
than proved his worth and one
wonders, can the player who is
different make the difference?
30-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 31

AFRICA
Lotfi Guerfel
Date of Birth: 25th January 1969
Town of Birth: Ksar Helal
Current Residence: Tunis
Family: Married, four sisters and five brothers
Educational Qualifications: Audit, accounting, finance, tax
advisory
Profession: Certified Public Accountant - General Manager
at Audit Consulting & Training International Company
“ACTI”
Languages spoken: English, French and Arabic
Official positions with dates held:
April 2009: Treasurer of the Tunisian Table Tennis
Federation
December 2012: Vice President of the Tunisia Table Tennis
Federation
September 2012 - October 2016: African Table Tennis
Federation Council member
April 2014 - present: President of the Tunisia Table Tennis
Federation
2018-2022: ITTF Nomination Committee member
June 2021 - present: Africa Table Tennis Federation Vice
President in Charge of Marketing
Welcome to Tunisia
Study the international calendar for
2021 and 2022, name the ITTF member
association that organised more
tournaments than any other, the answer
is Tunisia.
The reason, a far seeing President,
dedicated to promoting the sport of table
tennis, Lotfi Guerfel.
Why did you decide to host so many
tournaments?
Financially speaking, these tournaments
are a great opportunity for our
international players, we can register
a high number of participants in each
tournament at a low cost. Hosting these
tournaments in Tunisia exempts us from
high travel charges and accommodation
fees when playing abroad.
It is an opportunity for players to get
some points and to move in the world
ranking.
Also, it is an opportunity to gain the trust
of actual sponsors and eventually having
new sponsors, these events offer good
visibility: TV production, live streaming
on You Tube channels, social media, this
visibility is very important for sponsors. It
helps to build a win win partnership with
them.
Finally, organising these events allows
the Tunisia Table Tennis Federation to
benefit from equipment that we can use
for the national team or to create new
clubs and to develop table tennis.
In what respects are the tournaments
helping young Tunisian players?
From a technical point of view, we believe
that an interesting group of Tunisian
players has reached an amazing level.
All they need is to participate as much
as possible in international tournaments.
Competing with international players will
enable them to gain more experience and
self-confidence.
You organised the first ever Youth
Star Contender (May 2021), how
important was it to be the first?
This first event of its kind worldwide
was a big challenge for us! We were
committed to succeed and to organise it
as best as we could and to gain the trust
of World Table Tennis, especially in a
pandemic environment. After this success,
we felt more confident and ready for any
other challenge.
Are these tournaments gaining
visibility nationwide?
International events are one of the
best ways, if not the best at all, to
promote our favourite sport nationally
and internationally. Through local and
international media coverage, we are
providing wonderful visibility for table
tennis and of course for our sponsors and
all stakeholders.
It is also an opportunity for our guests
to discover Tunisia, unfortunately the
COVID-19 pandemic was an obstacle,
but in the future organising such events
can have cultural, touristic and economic
gains for our nation.
Has the initiative enhanced the
image of the Tunisian Table Tennis
Federation?
Each time the hospitality of Tunisian
people, openness and friendship is
shown; with each tournament we are
demonstrating our increasing ability
to organise very important sporting
events successfully! All that said, the
tournaments have brought a lot of respect
to our organisation at national level and
even internationally.
What motivates you the most to host
tournaments?
First the trust and the support from the
International Table Tennis Federation
and World Table Tennis. Also, I must
thank the local authorities, sponsors, the
federation’s team, volunteers, and all
stakeholders for their great contribution
to our success. There is high energy and
readiness to embrace more challenges.
Having such a winning team, and trustful
partners is real motivation to move
forward for higher challenges and elevate
the bar.
What are the major challenges
you have faced organising these
tournaments?
As you know, the pandemic period due to
COVID-19, wasn’t easy to manage due to
high number of protocols and restrictions
defined by the World Health Organisation,
the International Table Tennis Federation
and local authorities. This was really the
major challenge; we are so happy that all
tournaments ended very safely.
What has given you the greatest
satisfaction in organising these
tournaments?
The greatest satisfaction comes from
the happiness we create during each
tournament to all players and participants.
Our sport is more than amazing! We are
one family sharing the same passion and
values of love, peace, respect, solidarity,
enjoyment and inclusiveness.
What are your plans regarding
tournaments for the future?
Improving and developing, it is a
continuous process. We’re looking to
enhance the number of countries and
participants in each tournament. We’d
love to see a very high level of play,
inspiring and impacting others to take
part in our tournaments. Invite more
media outlets to cover our events, better
results for our players, better rankings
internationally.
The practice hall for the 2022 WTT Contender tournament in Tunis
The Salle Omnisport de Rades in Tunis, home in August for the 2022 Contender
tournament
Tunisia Table Tennis Federation – Tournament Schedule 2021-2022
Linz, Austria (27th – 29th Sep)
2021
2022
Wed 26th – Sun 30th May: WTT Youth Wed 2nd – Sun 6th Feb: WTT Youth Star
Star Contender
Contender
Mon 13th – Sun 19th Sep: WTT Youth Mon 21st – Sun 27th Mar: WTT Youth
Contender
Contender
Sun 24th – Sat 30th Oct: WTT Contender Thu 21st – Wed 27th Jul: ITTF Africa Youth
Championships
Mon 1st – Sat 6th Aug: WTT Contender
Thu 20th – Thu 27th October: Arab Clubs
championships
Sun 4th – Sun 11th Dec: ITTF World Youth
Championships
32-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 33

AMERICAS
First on List
Every month on the second Wednesday,
Table Tennis Canada publishes a feature
on their website to support their
promotional campaign entitled “Women
in Table Tennis”.
Born and bred in Vancouver, first on
the list in October was national team
member, Ivy Liao, a young lady highly
motivated by the project.
“Since the Table Tennis Canada
Athletes’ Commission was formed in
2020, we’ve been brainstorming ways to
grow the sport of table tennis in Canada
and lower drop-out rates, especially
amongst women and girls”, explained
Ivy Liao. “Later, we collaborated
with members of the Gender Equity
Committee, the concept behind the
Women in Table Tennis campaign was
born.”
The initiative has motivated the young
lady, who started playing table tennis
at the age of seven. A family friend
recommended the sport to her parents
as a fun after-school activity for her and
her brother.
“I fell in love with the sport and
haven’t stopped playing since”, smiled
Ivy Liao. She is totally committed to the
initiative for raising participation in an
age when a sedentary lifestyle is ever
more prevalent, the result being levels
of obesity are growing.
“Helping develop the campaign and
hearing the stories of our female
athletes, coaches, officials and
administrators has been an incredibly
eye-opening experience that I have
learnt a lot from”, continued Ivy Liao.
“I truly hope that this campaign can
continue to encourage more women and
girls to get involved and stay involved
with table tennis in Canada and around
the world!”
In fact, many could be encouraged
to play table tennis by considering the
reasons why Ivy Liao was persuaded to
play the sport.
“When I was young, I got sick very
often and had a weak immune system;
my family doctor recommended to my
parents that I participate in sport, it
led me to take part in a wide variety
of sports throughout my childhood and
teenage years”, explained Ivy Liao.
“Table tennis was one that intrigued me
Ivy Gui Hua Liao
Date of Birth: 12th June 2001
Residence: Vancouver
Family: Elder brother Frank Gui Jia Liao
Languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin
Education: Bachelor of Commerce student
at the University of British Columbia
Club: University of British Columbia
Racket Blade: Butterfly Timo Boll ZLC FL
Forehand Rubber: Tenergy 05
Backhand Rubber: Tenergy 05
the most because of its complexity and
uniqueness, I ended up spending more
and more time playing table tennis and
developing my skills.”
Wider Benefits
Nowadays a vital member of the
Canadian national women’s team;
it is not just within the four walls of
the playing hall where Ivy Liao has
benefitted.
“I have and still continue to learn
so much about table tennis and life
through my involvement with table
tennis, for which I am extremely
grateful”, explained Ivy Liao. “It
motivates me to persevere, improve,
and share the sport with others.”
Playing table tennis has taught Ivy
Liao self-discipline, it has given her
goals to achieve, provided motivation;
similarly, the current women’s
programme gives her a sense of
purpose.
“I have been immensely inspired by
the stories and ideas that the members
of the table tennis community in Canada
have shared about issues surrounding
female involvement in table tennis”,
stressed Ivy Liao. “I recognise that
it often takes a lot of courage to
speak up, so I am very grateful that
many individuals have welcomed
conversations about the campaign
and shared their perspectives and
experiences with us.”
Ivy Liao highlights a most valid
point, discussion can be inspirational,
exchange thoughts, you realise you are
not alone, at the end of any meeting
the chances are you will leave in a more
positive frame of mind. Importantly, talk
to each other, not about each other.
“I truly believe that these
conversations regarding inclusive
involvement in sport are positive
first steps in making a difference and
forming more diverse, empowering,
and holistically healthy athletic spaces”,
continued Ivy Liao. “I encourage
everyone to start these conversations in
their local communities.”
Clear Ideas
Most creditable thoughts but of course it
is necessary to put theory into practice;
Ivy Liao has clear ideas.
“I think we should encourage formal
and informal mentorship relationships
between females within table tennis,
mentorship programmes connecting
more experienced and less experienced
female coaches and athletes”, said
Ivy Liao. “Also, I think we should
have female specific training sessions
and camps, as well as workshops
for athletes, coaches, officials, and
administrators; most importantly
educate all community members,
including males, about current barriers
preventing female involvement in sport
and think deeply what everyone can do
to help create inclusive, supportive, and
safe sporting environments for all.”
Determined to improve the current
situation, there is also a strong will
for personal progress, raise the
playing level, climb to greater heights.
Presently, when at home, Ivy Liao
practises five to six days a week; this
includes training sessions with the
university team, individual coaching
with Jianren Wei and sessions with
other high-performance athletes in the
Greater Vancouver area. Additionally,
she completes two to three sessions of
strength and conditioning each week.
The result is she has enjoyed success;
most notably, alongside Zhang Mo and
Alicia Côté, she was a bronze medallist
in the women’s team event at the 2019
Pan American Games.
Later in November, the featured face
was the coach Emilia Cabrera-Mallette;
in December, Erica Ans, who performs
the roles of official, administrator and
coach.
Emilia Cabrera-Mallette at the gender equity
women’s training camp, July 2022 in Ottawa,
Ontario
Mariann Domonkos conducted a gender equity women training camp in July in Ottawa
Women in Table Tennis Initiative
On Sunday 2nd October, Table Tennis women in table tennis
Canada (TTCAN) launched an innovative •Highlight the challenges and illustrate
promotional campaign entitled “Women the successes of female members in the
in Table Tennis”. The initiative is the table tennis community
result of a joint effort between the •Display a positive image of women in
TTCAN Athletes’ Commission and the table tennis
Gender Equity Committee to increase •Make our sport better known and
awareness and promote discussion more well-established in the general
regarding female participation in the population
sport.
•Strive to increase the number of
Statistics reveal that the number female table tennis players at all levels
of female players, coaches, and
of the sport
administrators has been steadily
decreasing over recent years.
Logo
Most notably the logo which has been
Feedback
designed sends a powerful message.
Results of meetings within the female The large block letters spelling out
table tennis community.
“women” signify the strength and power
•Training programmes are often less of the female table tennis community.
suitable for female players
The different roles that these members
•There are few female practice partners play are highlighted within the letters
•Female players, coaches, officials in red, the numerous adjectives and
and administrators feel as if they
characteristics describe what is needed
are considered inferior to their male to achieve.
counterparts
Creating this logo, alongside the new
•Lack of inclusion in mixed training campaign, TTCAN has set an example;
opportunities
a way for girls and women to become
•A need to practise in welcoming and involved, a way for the sport of table
safe environments
tennis to grow and thrive.
•Few female role models and mentors
The overall effect is that TTCAN member
associations are struggling to recruit,
coach, develop and retain female table
tennis athletes at all levels.
Goals
Objectives have been targeted by the
Women in Table Tennis campaign.
•Increase the visibility of girls and
34-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 35

ASIA
A Year to Remember
Profile
Date of Birth: Saturday 8th April 2006
Residence: Taipei City
Family: Parents Cheng Chao-Kang
and Yi Chin-Hua; elder brother Cheng
PuKuan
School: Taipei Municipal Song Shan
High School of Commerce and Home
Economics
Club: Co-operative Bank Table Tennis
Team
Coach: Lien Sheng-Hung
Racket Blade: Stiga Carbonado 145 FL
Forehand Rubber: DHS Neo Hurricane
Backhand Rubber: Dawei 388C-1
Under 19 girls’ singles podium in Amman Winner in Varazdin Success in Wladyslawowo
Three World Table Tennis Youth
Contender tournaments in
succession, six titles in a row, the
maximum possible; Chinese Taipei’s
Cheng Pusyuan can look back on a year
to remember.
In May she won both the under
19 and under 17 girls’ singles titles
in Wladyslawowo, in August she
repeated the feat in Amman, before
in September, when competing in
Varazdin, once again performing the
double.
“I think of those three tournaments
my win in Wladyslawowo was my best
performance”, reflected Cheng Pusyuan.
“My body was in a good state, I felt
confident, had a clear mind, and knew
what to do when I lost points.”
Remarkable success in 2022 and a hint
of what was to come was ignited some
five years ago.
“In June 2017, when I was 11 years
old, I won the under 12 girls’ national
team trial; after that, I started to play
for Chinese Taipei”, reflected Cheng
Pusyuan. “The first international
tournament I played in was the
2017 East Asian Hopes Table Tennis
Championships in China; also, I played
the following year.”
The tournaments provided a very
sound introduction to the international
scene, familiar names were present;
most importantly Cheng Pusyuan
acquitted herself admirably. In 2017,
she was eventually beaten by Japan’s
Haruna Ojio, one year later, she was
the silver medallist. Notably, at the
quarter-final stage she overcame Miwa
Harimoto, also from Japan, before in the
final, exhausted, losing to China’s Chen
Jinglei.
Fine performances but not necessarily
the best before 2022 in the mind of
Cheng Pusyuan.
“I would say my best performance
before this year was at the ITTF Junior
Circuit Premium Oman Junior and
Cadet Open in Muscat”, reflected Cheng
Pusyuan. “I won my first title, under 15
girls’ singles and reached the semi-final
of the under 18 girls’ singles.”
The medal haul is most impressive;
so is the consistency rate; in whatever
event she competed at 2022 WTT
tournaments, she always reached a
minimal quarter-final. Furthermore,
the defeats were in the under 19 age
group, an age group in which she will
still be eligible to compete in 2024;
also, the losses were when facing most
eligible adversaries. In May in Berlin,
she was beaten by Miwa Harimoto, later
in the year in September in Skopje,
she experienced defeat when opposing
China’s Xu Huiyao. Win or lose it all
adds to the bank of experience.
“Having more opportunities to play
matches against girl players from
different countries, I can feel significant
improvement in my technical and
tactical changes for forehand attacks,
particularly attacking after the service”,
said Cheng Pusyuan. “I usually wait
for other people to make mistakes;
playing against those players who do
not lose points easily, I must be more
aggressive and more stable.”
Disappointments, it happens to
everybody, but in the long term those
defeats may prove more valuable than
the titles gained. It is from defeat a
player learns.
The family Cheng Pukuan, Cheng Pusyuan, Yi Chin-Hua, Cheng Chao-Kang
Good Company
a Sunday morning.
Perhaps, she is somewhat self-critical, In the evening study takes priority.
results suggest she is very stable.
“My parents have always encouraged
Undoubtedly, one of the major reasons is me to never give up studying; they tell
that she has a most wise and caring coach me that learning will bring me more
in the guise of Lien Sheng-Hung and is in opportunities when I leave table tennis
very good company. She is a member of one day”, explained Cheng Pusyuan.
the Co-operative Bank team; colleagues “To have more flexibility on time
include Cheng I-Ching, Chuang Chih-Yuan arrangement between study and table
and Lin Yun-Ju.
tennis, my parents helped me apply
Good company and good home
for the Non-School Type Experimental
support; Cheng Pusyuan, whose parents Education programme when I was 12
enjoy sport but do not play table
years old. I have online classes in the
tennis, believed that because she had evenings and on weekends; of course, I
congenital myopia (short sightedness need to take school exams.”
present at birth, persisting through
A busy life but there must be time to
infancy), table tennis may prove the relax, recharge the batteries and clear
ideal sport. Notably, in the community the mind.
where the family lives there are two “I love reading books, listening
table tennis tables, the opportunity to to audio books and daydreaming;
play was close at hand.
immersing in my own world that I
“I was eight years old when I
create really helps me relax”, smiled
started to play; however, the myopia Cheng Pusyuan. “I also love doing
problem did not improve”, reflected some challenging origami arts during
Cheng Pusyuan, who has developed a holidays.”
most effective close to the table fast Performances to remember in age
attacking style of play. “I use pimples group competitions; now for 2023 quite
on my backhand”, she explained. “It possibly the next step.
helps me upset the rhythm of the
“I would really like to play in senior
play and brings me strong attacking WTT tournaments”, concluded Cheng
opportunities.”
Pusyuan; surely that thought must be
Guided by Lien Sheng-Hung, for whose strong in the minds of those responsible
support Cheng Pusyuan is eternally for national team selection.
grateful, depending on tournament
She has clearly demonstrated her
demands, training sessions are held abilities, underlined her skills; now
each day from Monday to Saturday, the task is to build on recent success
9.00 am to 11.30 am and 2.00 pm to and climb the next step. New horizons
5.00 pm; prior to major tournaments a await.
further training session may be held on
Career Highlights
National Team Trials
U12GS: Winner 2017 & 2018
U15GS: 4th Place 2018 / Runner Up 2019 /
Winner 2020 & 2021
U19GS: 10th Place 2021 / 9th Place 2022
Senior: 12th Place 2021
National High School Games
U15GS: Winner 2020 & 2021
U18GS: Winner 2022
ITTF World Junior Circuit 2017
Amman: U13GS Runner Up
ITTF World Junior Circuit 2018
Chinese Taipei: U15GS Quarter-Final
Slovakia: U15GS Quarter-Final
ITTF World Junior Circuit 2019
Thailand: U15GS Semi-Final
Chinese Taipei: U15GS Semi-Final
Oman: U18GS Semi-Final / U15GS Winner
WTT Youth Contender 2022
Wladyslawowo: U19GS Winner / U17GS Winner
Amman: U19GS Winner / U17GS Winner
Varazdin: U19GS Winner / U17GS Winner
Otocec: U19GS Semi-Final / U17GS Semi-Final
Berlin: U19GS Quarter-Final / U17GS Semi-Final
Skopje: U19GS Quarter-Final
36-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 37

EUROPE
One Chapter
Closes, Another Opens
Ever reliable, a member of the
Spanish national team for over
two decades, the first appearance
being in 1999 at the Spanish Youth
Open in Platja d’Aro, Galia Dvorak
has announced her retirement from
international play.
However, she will not be lost to the
sport, she will continue playing at club
level, her main priority being to focus
on official roles. Appointed Chair of the
ETTU Athletes’ Commission in 2017,
currently she is Vice President of the
Royal Spanish Table Tennis Federation
and the ETTU Special Projects Manager.
“My intention is to keep playing, not
so easy because working, I do not have
much time to practise, and I don’t like
to play without practice, but it is what it
is”, said Galia Dvorak. “I guess, better
than not playing at all.”
Furthermore, recent events over
the past three years have had a
contributory effect.
“It is very difficult to combine the life
of a professional athlete with personal
life, COVID-19 has had a big impact
in my decision too”, stressed Galia
Dvorak. “The thought of finishing my
international career was in my head for
a while, it was a scary thing to do, but
after lockdown and spending a lot of
time at home, I realised that I could be
very happy without competition.”
Undoubtedly, the possibility of a
fifth consecutive Olympic Games was
very much in the mind, her first being
in 2008 in Beijing; but the demands
of international play, competing in
tournaments to maintain a high world
ranking in order to gain entry for the
quadrennial gathering, or experience the
rigours of a qualification event, are high.
Date of Birth: 1st April 1988
Full Name: Galyna Volodymyrivna Dvorak Khasanova
Date of Birth: Friday 1st April 1988
City of Birth: Kyiv, Ukraine
Present Home: Mataró, Barcelona
Family: Vladimir Dvorak and Flora Khasanova, no
siblings, engaged to Nico Canet
Languages: Catalan, Spanish, English, Russian
Racket Blade: Butterfly, Harimoto ALC FL
“I started to play in the national team
when I was very young, I have been
playing internationally for a long time, my
first senior World Championships was Paris
2003, before that I had already played in
the senior Europeans and international
youth competitions for four years”,
explained Galia Dvorak. “After all this time
it is difficult to keep up the motivation, I
knew that it was unlikely I would improve
anymore, the only realistic goal was to try
to qualify for the Olympics one more time.”
A place in Paris in 2024 was not out of
the question but realistically, taking into
account her growing interest in official
roles, the chances of qualifying were on a
knife edge. Nevertheless, the enthusiasm
for table tennis remains unwavering.
“Almost everyone that works in table
tennis does it because they are passionate
about the sport, and I am no different”,
stressed Galia Dvorak. “I think this
passion combined with my experience
as a player and some other skills and
abilities I have acquired during my
journey puts me in a great position to
dedicate my professional career to try to
make our sport bigger.”
Galia Dvorak will be missed in the
playing arena; equally she will miss
the rush of adrenalin associated with
high level competition. Always a worthy
opponent, over the years she has proved
a most popular figure at international
tournaments.
“I think what I will miss the most is
the competitive me, outside the playing
field I think I am a calm and kind
person, but competition pushes you
to your limits and that is where the
beast awakens; although sometimes
I even feel that a competitive
person is not me, I do miss her
a bit”, added Galia Dvorak. “I
think I am a very tough person
mentally; that usually brought
out the best in me at crucial
moments. Many of my
opponents used to say that
playing against me was like
a marathon because I can
return many balls on the
table and that I could
take maximum profit of
the weapons I have.”
Tokyo marked a fourth
Olympic Games appearance
Forehand Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 05
The final appearance at a World Championships, Houston in 2021
Backhand Rubber: Butterfly Feint Long 3
A first World Championships, Paris 2003
38-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 39

EUROPE
Destiny
A long and distinguished career in a sport
that she was surely destined to pursue;
from infancy the subject of table tennis
was a bedtime lullaby.
Both her parents, Vladimir Dvorak
and Flora Khasanova were international
players of stature. Notably at the 1989
World Championships in Dortmund,
alongside brothers Andrei and Dimitrj
Mazunov, Vladimir was a member of
the Soviet Union outfit that finished
in fourth place in the men’s team
event. Somewhat differently, Flora
enjoyed success at the European Youth
Championships. In 1982 in Hollabrunn,
she won the cadet girls’ singles title,
having earlier partnered Natalia
Eksenzyan, to cadet girls’ team gold.
One year later in Malmö, she secured
the junior girls’ team crown in harness
with Jolanta Daniliavichute.
“My parents introduced me to table
tennis, I started in January 1995 when
I was six years old; my dad went to
the Tianjin World Championships and
bought me there my first racket and
rubbers”, explained Galia Dvorak. “Due
to the Soviet régime, it was not possible
to make money there, so he decided
to go abroad and play for a club; he
decided for Spain because a club made
the best offer. Settling here was never
in the plan, the idea was just to come,
make money for a few years and go
back to Ukraine.”
In 1990, the family moved to Granada
where they lived for two years, before
spending five years in Terrassa, then
three in Valladolid and finally to Mataro
where they have resided for the past
23 years. Galia was only two years old
when they moved to Spain and thus
does not have memories of life in Kyiv;
however, her heart is very much with
the country of her birth.
“The current situation is very sad,
even if the war would end with a
positive outcome for Ukraine, so
many people have died and so many
cities have been destroyed”, sighed
Galia Dvorak. “I’m very proud of the
Ukrainian nation and their strength and
resilience but it hurts very much to see
and hear what these people are going
through.”
Difficult times in Ukraine, the world
watches from afar, we sympathise but
we carry on our normal lives, we are
Flora Kasanova in Moscow at the 1982
International Tournament for Soviet Culture
not directly affected by the situation;
for Galia Dvorak, it is very different, it
is personal.
“My aunt lives in Kiyv, my parents
have many friends and distant relatives
still there”, explained Galia Dvorak.
“Although people try to have a normal
life as much as possible, there is war
going on; recent times have been
particularly bad as the population has
no water or electricity.”
Study
Thoughts with Ukraine but Spain is her
home, the country in which she grew up,
the country in which she was educated
and like many who excel in sport had to
balance study with competing at a high
level.
“I never lived in a high-performance
centre, I went to normal school; it
was not very easy when I started to
travel a lot, but I was always a good
Vladimir Dvorak at the 1987 World
Championships
student and liked to read, so school and
high school was not tough”, reflected
Galia Dvorak. “Later, I was very lucky,
the building next to the club where I
practised was the university, so it was
possible to combine training twice a day
and lectures.”
Similar to many other players of
the present-day era the advance of
technology meant it was possible to
continue studying online.
“It made things easier to continue
learning and travelling around the
world”, explained Galia Dvorak. “I
always knew that studying was very
important as a career in table tennis
could end at any moment.”
The international playing career at an
end, a career on which she can reflect
with great pride; always she set a fine
example, one especially for girls and
women to follow.
“I believe that there is absolutely no
At the ITTF Summit
reason why our sport should not be
popular among girls and women”, said
Galia Dvorak. “I think that if we all,
club managers, coaches, federations,
passionate volunteers, and whoever do
our bit, actively invest resources and
time in encouraging girls to play, more
will play.”
Increasing participation, Galia Dvorak
has the personality to motivate;
notably for the ITTF Foundation she has
proved a most valuable asset. In 2018
alongside Ryu Seungmin she visited the
slum areas of Buenos Aires as part of
an elementary schools’ project. Earlier
this year she was appointed Goodwill
Ambassador to Ukraine, the aim to
facilitate communication with the table
tennis community.
A diplomat, her caring nature
well received. Rest assured in her
roles outside the arena she will
conduct herself with same passion
and determination she did as an
international player. A career in a
different role beckons, one for the
benefit of table tennis.
An ambassadorial
role prior to the start
of the Buenos Aires
2018 Youth Olympic
Games; alongside
Ryu Seungmin,
recently appointed
to the IOC Advisory
Committee on Human
Rights, helping
young people from
impoverished areas.
Qualifications:
Master’s degree in Sport Marketing and Management
(Cruyff Institute 2021-2022)
Master’s degree in Corporate Communication
(Universitat Oberta de Catalunya-UOC 2017-
2021)
Degree in Business Management (EUM-UPF
2006-2010)
Coaches:
1995-2008: Flora Khasanova (mother) national
coach for girls’ team
2006-2012: Peter Engel, national senior team
coach & 2008-2012 junior team coach
2012: Linus Mernsten, men’s national coach,
coach for London 2012 Olympic Games
2012-2013: Anders Johansson, coach of Matilda
Ekholm with whom Galia played doubles
2013: Dani Torres, national coach from 2013,
based at San Cugat in Barcelona
2013-2014: Jérôme Humbert at Etival in the
French League
2014-2020: Guillaume Liot at Grand Quevilly in
Pro A of French League
2019-2022: Silvia Erdelji women’s team coach
Note: Throughout, both officially and unofficially
Galia Dvorak was advised by her parents
Clubs:
1995-1996: Epic Terrassa (Spain)
1996-1998: Valladolid Tenis de Mesa (Spain)
1998-1999: Amigos Tenis de Mesa Valladolid
(Spain)
1999-2013: Centre Natacio Mataro (Spain)
2013-2014: ASRTT Etival (France)
2014-2020: ALCL Grand Quevilly (France)
2020-2021: Tramuntana Figueres (Spain)
2020-Present Day: Olympiakos SPF (Greece)
2022-Present Day: Sporting Clube de Portugal
(Portugal)
Olympic Games
Commencing in 2008 in Beijing, four consecutive
appearances
World Championships
2017 Düsseldorf: Quarter-Final XD (Alvaro
Robles)
World Junior Championships
2005 Linz: Bronze JGT (Sara Ramirez, Anna Badosa)
/ Last 8 JGS / Silver JGD (Sara Ramirez)
ITTF World Tour / ITTF Pro Tour
2006 Poland: Winner U21WS
2007 Brazil: Winner U21WS
2008 Singapore: Semi-Final U21WS
2009 England: Semi-Final U21WS
2011 Spain: Semi-Final WD (Sara Ramirez)
2012 Morocco: Semi-Final WS
2013 Czech Republic: Semi-Final WD (Matilda
Ekholm)
ITTF Challenge
2018 Poland: Semi-Final WD (Maria Xiao)
2019 Serbia: Semi-Final WD (Sofia-Xuan
Zhang)
European Championships
2013 Schwechat: Bronze: JGD (Matilda Ekholm)
European Youth Championships
2001 Terni: Gold CGT (Sara Ramirez, Victoria
Archidona) / Silver CGS / Silver CGD (Sara
Ramirez)
2002 Moscow: Gold CGT (Sara Ramirez) / Silver
CGS / Gold CXD (Yaroslav Zhmudenko)
2003 Novi Sad: Gold CGD (Elizabeta Samara)
2004 Budapest: Gold JGT (Anna Badosa, Lucia
Martinez, Sara Ramirez) / Gold JGS
2005 Prague: Gold JGT (Anna Badosa, Sara
Ramirez, Carmen Solichero) / Bronze JGS
2006 Sarajevo: Bronze JGS
Mediterranean Games
2009 Pescara: Bronze WT (Zhu Fang, Sara
Ramirez)
2018 Tarragona: Bronze WS, Gold WT (Maria
Xiao, Sofia-Xuan Zhang)
40-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 41

OCEANIA
Out of the Box Thinking
Eastland Shopping Centre
Seizing the bull by the horns,
in 2022 one international
tournament endorsed the
value of different thinking,
taking brave decisions, being
positive; the setting was not
the traditional sports hall,
nor a convention complex or
a spanking brand-new multisport
conglomeration, the
venue was a shopping centre.
Staged from Monday 5th to
Saturday 10th September, the
2022 ITTF-Oceania Senior and
Youth Championships were
held in the Eastland Shopping
Centre; the premises situated
in Ringwood on the outskirts
of Melbourne, very much
regarded as Australia’s sports
city.
Holding an international
event in such a location is not
new; in recent years Fashion
Island in Bangkok has been the
home for international events
organised by the Thailand
Table Tennis Association. Turn
the clock back to 1979, the
Norwich Union Masters was
played in a similar venue
in Milton Keynes, England;
in fact, at the time, parts
of the development were
still being built! Directed by
Mike Lawless, he had time to
prepare; the decision to stage
the tournament, won by the
late Dragutin Surbek, had been
taken over one year earlier. It
was very different for Barry
Griffiths, the Chief Executive
Officer for the Oceania Table
Tennis Federation and Event
Director.
Originally it was planned
to host the ITTF-Oceania
Championships in the
premises of the Croydon
and Districts Table Tennis
Association; the organisation
being located in Kilsyth,
likewise a Melbourne suburb.
“Post pandemic, I had the
opportunity to attend the
ONOC (Oceania National
Olympic Committee) General
Assembly in Fiji, where
I met Edwina Ricci, who
asked about what upcoming
events we had”, said Barry
Griffiths. “When I mentioned
the venue for the Oceania
Championships, she said this
was in her backyard and that
she may be able to help us;
Edwina then introduced me and
our President, Anthony Moore,
to the Eastland Shopping
Centre Community Relations
Manager, Jodie Murphy. We
eventually signed a deal with
Eastland to host with less than
three months until the event
start date.”
A brave decision, the onus
resting on the shoulders of
Barry Griffiths and his righthand
man, Ryan Wiegand;
he fulfilled the role of Events
Manager. They faced a
prodigious task.
“There were huge problems,
the floor wasn’t suitable, we
did not have access to sports
flooring; Eastland ground and
polished the floor, we were
then able to secure sports
flooring on loan from Enlio
out of China, it arrived in the
nick of time”, reflected Barry
Griffiths. “The back walls were
too light a colour, Eastland
painted all the walls black at
considerable expense, using
around 230 litres of paint,
the lighting did not meet
international requirements.
Eastland installed new lighting
to international standards with
guidance from Ryan Wiegand.”
Additionally, such items
as rooms, spectator seating
and data cabling had to be
installed.
Barry Griffiths
In Numbers
1.2 million reach across metro and community radio
6.3 million impressions across Google
8.3 per cent increase in centre traffic when
compared with 2019
21 countries broadcast live streaming
143 per cent increase on website visitors when
compared with last year
3,700 students took part in school demonstrations
12,561 seated spectators in the venue
16,332 devices streamed the event
171,095 minutes were watched
Players Supportive
Hats off to Barry Griffiths and
Ryan Wiegand, they delivered
the goods. The tournament
showcased the highest level
of table tennis in the region
to a new audience; it proved
an unmitigated success, one
significant reason being the
contribution of the players
themselves.
“We were able to open up
the front area to be visible
to shopping centre visitors”,
continued Barry Griffiths. “This
slightly impacted the players
in terms of lighting, they
were consulted; the players
were supportive and really
appreciated the opportunity
to show a larger and newer
audience what they could
do, they had put in hours of
hard work to prepare for the
event. In fact, many players
commented that they felt
like they were overseas at
an international event and
commented on how great the
experience was.”
Quite simply, everyone was
of one accord; the task was
to raise the profile of table
tennis in every respect. A
record equalling nine member
associations competed, over
12,000 spectators attended,
a training camp preceded the
event.
“The atmosphere was
incredible, many spectators
had never seen table tennis
played like this before;
Eastland provided players
with food vouchers to use at
the shopping centre, this was
well received by the players”,
stressed Barry Griffiths. “Live
streaming and live scoring
was completed on two tables
throughout the event, the main
table having two commentators
throughout; Channel 7+
broadcast the men’s and
women’s team finals as well as
the men’s and women’s singles
finals.
A successful six days
and there was a legacy,
following the tournament the
Eastland Shopping Centre
held a schools’ programme,
generously they invested
AUD$151,000 (approx:
US$101,000) into the event.
Now the task is to evaluate;
high on the Barry Griffiths
agenda is staffing, funding,
marketing, social media,
liaising with local schools,
establishing a partner
hotel, connecting with local
embassies and the Chinese
population.
“In future, there is the
possibility of having a show
court in the middle of the
shopping centre, which
would increase exposure of
the event; this would have
challenges with noise and
lighting, so would need to be
planned with care”, added
Barry Griffiths. “We need to
connect with local embassies
and Chinese communities;
our awards ceremony was far
too long; I think we need to
separate this and have awards
at the end of each age group.
The event scheduling was too
tight, we may need an extra
day.”
Appraising matters, Barry
Griffiths was most realistic
as he reflected on an
exhausting experience but
one in which the positives far
outweighed the negatives,
both the Oceania Table Tennis
Federation and the Eastland
Shopping Centre were
delighted with the outcome
Thinking differently, out
of the box, Oceania moved
forward.
42-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 43

TALENTS
Dream Debut
A
first appearance,
relatively unknown
on the international
stage, not seeded, eligible
for two events, the result in
both, gold; by any stretch of
the imagination that is some
debut, such was the feat
achieved in late October by
Nigeria’s Matthew Kuti.
On his initial venture, in
fact in 2022 his one and
only appearance in a World
Table Tennis organised event,
the young man from Lagos
stole the show at the Youth
Contender tournament in
Lagos. He won the under
13 boys’ singles, before one
day later, with the benefit of
hindsight, not unsurprisingly
securing under 11 boys’
singles gold.
Talented, an entertaining
attacking style of play that
makes him a delight to watch,
Matthew Kuti announced
his arrival three years ago
at the 2019 Aso National
Championships in Abuja. Only
eight years old, he defied the
odds to emerge the cadet
boys’ singles winner. An
enforced break in competition
owing to the pandemic, in
2021, he returned and won
the junior boys’ singles
event, a title he holds to the
present day. Now that is not
good news for any potential
adversaries, he will still be
eligible for under 19 events
in 2030!
“I think winning the Aso
Championships really
helped my confidence and
brought me to the attention
of the national coach; this
contributed to my invitation
to the national camp and my
international debut”, reflected
Matthew Kuti. “Before then,
I had dominated the junior
division in Nigeria, I had
won virtually all the local
competitions, especially in
Lagos, where we have a lot of
young players like me.”
In recent years we have
witnessed the quite incredible
feats of Japan’s Tomokazu
Harimoto at a tender age;
Matthew Kuti warrants
comparison.
Outstanding results on home
soil, it is just as remarkable
on the international stage;
they say good players adapt,
most certainly Matthew Kuti
is a fast learner.
He made his international
debut in July in Tunisia at
the 2022 ITTF-Africa Youth
Championships. Alongside
Musa Mustapha and Mustapha
Mustapha, he was a silver
medallist in the under 15
boys’ team event; later,
partnering Muizz Adegoke,
he gained the same colour
medal in the under 19 boys’
doubles. Significantly, in the
under 15 boys’ singles he
reached the quarter-final
round, losing to Egypt’s
Yassin Gaber, the eventual
runner up.
Matthew Kuti with parents Sunday and Bukonla
Date of Birth: 28th March 2011
Hometown: Ikorodu, Lagos, Nigeria
Family: parents Sunday and Bukonla Kuti, brother
Semilore, sister Deborah
Education: Attending school in Abuja
Playing Style: Attack top spin
Club Coach: Sunday Kuti
National Team Coach: Nosiru Bello
Euipment: Gewo
Favourite Player: Quadri Aruna
The same forehand style as Quadri Aruna
44-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 45

TALENTS
“Going to Tunisia really boosted my
confidence that I could do well in any
competition”, reflected Matthew Kuti.
“Knowing full well that I would be going
to Cairo for WTT Youth Contender, I
moved to Abuja where I trained well,
hoping to exceed my performance.”
The move to Abuja, some 330 miles
inland, proved wise, it enabled him
to hone his skills, pay attention to
detail and prevail at crucial moments.
Impressively in Cairo, in the under 13
events he ended the hopes of Puerto
Rico, the Caribbean Island a hotbed for
table tennis, he beat Enrique Rios prior
to overcoming Steven Moreno.
“After qualifying for the final, I knew
that it would be easier than the semifinal
because my semi-final opponent
was stronger than my final opponent”,
said Matthew Kuti. “So, I was a bit
more relaxed in the final and I played
with ease to claim the title. In all my
matches, the semi-final in the under 13
event was the most difficult match for
me in Egypt.”
Perhaps Mathew Kuti’s reaction was
somewhat surprising when considering
the status of his adversaries. At the
time of the tournament, on the ITTF
Table Tennis Youth World Rankings, in
the under 13 boys’ age group, Steven
Moreno topped the list, Enrique Rios
occupied second spot. However, one
fact is beyond doubt, beating the
leading names in the global order was
an incredible performance; to win he
had to beat the best.
Confident but also prior to the trip to
Cairo, Matthew Kuti was realistic, he
had no great expectations; perhaps that
worked in his favour, he was relaxed, no
pressure on his young shoulders, he
could play freely.
“Before the tournament, I
just wanted to go out there
and show what I could do,
I did not expect I could win a
title; I had also been told that it
would be tougher than Tunis being
a tournament for players across
the globe”, said Matthew Kuti. “After
my first match, I knew that if I wanted
to win, I needed to play my backhand
more, in Nigeria, we play more from the
forehand.”
A strong forehand, it is the nation’s
traditional style. Atanda Musa, in his
prime in the 1980s, was no mean
player from the backhand but a mighty
forehand was his strength. It is the
same for his modern-day successor,
Quadri Aruna is of the same ilk.
“We have confidence playing from
the forehand, but we are not too
sure of playing with the backhand”,
continued Matthew Kuti. “I started
playing well, especially in the semifinal
of the under 13 event, where
I faced one of the strongest players
in the category. I noticed that my
opponent played from all angles, I
needed something extra to beat him;
so, I decided to take risks with my
backhand and this worked for me.”
Aware of what is needed to
improve, in addition, Matthew Kuti
has one vital factor in his favour,
good parental support; his father is a
most worthy player.
“Initially I was in love with
football at a tender age
because that was the most
popular sport in Nigeria and in
my town; at four years old, I
was fond of playing football”,
explained Matthew Kuti.
“However, my father was
a table tennis player for
my town, he decided
to encourage me to
join him in training;
that was how I found
myself in table tennis.
Since then, table tennis
has been my life.
Everything around me
revolves round the sport; I eat and
breath table tennis now.”
Now having tasted success,
realising that he can push back
barriers, he is highly motivated,
aware of the dedication needed.
“I train twice daily from 9.00
am to noon, then I return to
training again in the evening; this
helped me to prepare for the WTT
Youth Contender in Cairo”, added
Matthew Kuti. “At the African Youth
Championships in Tunis, I was a bit
nervous; that really affected my
game being my first international
outing for Nigeria. Now, for me to
become what I dream of, I think I
need to redouble efforts on working
on my backhand because without it,
it will be difficult to be the best,”
Most certainly the young man
is aware of what is needed to
progress; in recent years the
backhand has become increasingly
important, China’s Zhang Jike,
Olympic Games gold medallist and
World champion is the supreme
example.
One wonders what the young man
now based in Abuja may achieve; is
he the next Atanda Musa, the next
Quadri Aruna? No, he is the first
Matthew Kuti.
46-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 47

COVER STORY
Granada Gold
Award medals for dramatic
presentation, the recent ITTF World
Team Championships Finals in Chengdu,
the WTT Champions Macao and the WTT
Cup Finals Xinxiang would all merit gold.
Stunning theatrical effects were created
that made the eyes blink in awe, new
standards were set thanks to innovative
thinking, hours of detailed planning and
bold decisions.
It was no different at the Andalucia
2022 World Para Championships, the
quadrennial event was lifted to a new
high; the setting a spectacular show
that paid tribute to every player who
plied their skills and every dignitary who
presented an award. High level technical
support, lines of computers created the
extravaganza, the showpiece a 30-metrelong
screen adorning one side of arena,
illuminating the names and images of
the players as they made an entrance.
They were hailed stars on the big stage,
soaking in the ambiance of excitement,
the aura of anticipation.
The sense of drama was enhanced
by the fact that each table was lit
individually; eight tables in total but
as soon as play had finished the lights
illuminating that table dimmed. A well
thought out innovation as was another
which proceeded rather more reservedly,
attention was paid to the environment.
The court surrounds were made from
reinforced cardboard, it was the same
with banners and water containers, each
participant receiving a glass bottle. The
outcome was the tournament received
the Green Sport Flag, a project developed
by the Association of Spanish Sport
Federations to encourage national and
local associations to deliver sustainable
events, protect the environment and raise
public awareness.
A watershed in more ways than one;
it was the first time the tournament had
been staged in Spain, a first for doubles,
a first for women’s singles class 1, an
introduction welcomed especially by
Finland’s Aino Tapola, the eventual silver
medallist.
“I am really happy we have this
category, it’s something myself and other
players have been hoping will happen; it
is very important for women who have
a disability”, she said “I think it sets an
example to women who think because
of their disability they cannot play sport;
the class gives an opportunity not only to
play sport but also to have the chance to
compete at a high level.”
Add all the factors together and add one
more; that of passion. There is a unique
atmosphere at a Para tournament, one
that everyone involved in sport, or for
that matter life in general should witness.
It is a humbling experience, there is
immense pride in representing your
country, above all else there is unbridled
emotion. From the very first point on
the first morning in the Palacio Municipal
de Deportes de Granada, in the tiered
seating, teammates were on their feet
cheering, applauding, encouraging their
compatriots to strain every sinew. The
message crystal clear: we are proud of
you; we are with you.
The efforts made tugged the heart
strings, no quarter was given, no quarter
asked but when the contest concluded,
most prevalently in the wheelchair classes
and the standing categories, where
the impairment is the most severe, the
players hugged each other. An immense
sense of respect for the opponent was
evident, respect for being a most a
worthy adversary.
Winners and losers, it is the essence of
sport but in Granada, as well as in Macao
and Xinxiang there was one winner above
all; table tennis moved to greater heights,
new dimensions.
The Andalucia 2022 World Para Championships
WTT Champions Maco
The WTT Cup Finals Xinxiang
48-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 49

COVER STORY
Men Singles
Gold Medallists
Thomas Schmidberger (Class 3)
Matteo Parenzan (Class 6)
Laurens Devos (Class 9)
Nam Kiwon (Class 1)
Kim Junggil (Class 4)
Will Bayley (class 7)
Patryk Chojnowski (Class 10)
Fabien Lamirault (Class 2)
Valentin Baus (class 5)
Viktor Didukh (Class 8)
Kim Gitae (Class 11)
50-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 51

COVER STORY
Women Singles
Gold Medallists
Yoon Jiyu (class 3)
Maryna Lytovchenko (class 6)
Alexa Szvitacs (class 9)
Dorota Buclaw (class 1)
Wijittra Jaion (class 4)
Kubra Korkut (class 7)
Yang Qian (class 10)
Giada Rossi (class 2)
Alexandra Saint-Pierre (class 5)
Thu Kamkasomphu (class 8)
Lea Ferney (class 11)
52-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 53

COVER STORY
Men’s Doubles
Gold Medallists
Women’s Doubles
Gold Medallists
Paul Karabardak / Billy Shilton (Class 14)
Michela Brunelli / Giada Rossi (Class 5)
Lei Li Na / Yang Qian (Class 20)
Park Jincheol / Cha Sooyong (Class 4)
Nada Matic / Borislava Peric-Rankovic (Class 10)
Lev Kats / Ivan Mai (Class 18)
Kim Younggun / Kim Junggil (Class 8)
Jeoung Kyuyoung / Kim Gitae (Class 22)
Grace Williams / Fliss Pickard (Class 14)
Wong Ting Ting / Ng Miu Wui (Class 22)
54-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 55

COVER STORY
Mixed Doubles
Gold Medallists
Seo Suyeon / Park Jincheol (Class 4)
Jean-Paul Montanus / Kelly van Zon (Class 14)
Standing Out from the Crowd
Kimie Bessho (Japan), women’s class 5, at 74 years of age, was the
most senior player
Sophia Kelmer (Brazil), 14 years old, an ITTF grant holder, was the
youngest player; she won women’s singles class 8 bronze
Kim Gitae (Korea Republic) emerged the only player to complete
the clean sweep; he won men’s singles class 11, after earlier in
class 22 winning the mixed doubles with Seo Yanghee, the men’s
doubles partnering Jeoung Kyuyoung
Patryk Chojnowski (Poland) won men’s singles class 11 after partnering
Natalia Partyka to success in mixed doubles class 20
Park Jincheol (Korea Republic), in class 4 he won mixed doubles
gold with Seo Suyeon, men’s doubles gold partnering Cha Sooyong
Giada Rossi (Italy) ended play just one step short of a full house;
she won women’s singles class 2, women’s doubles class 5 partnering
Michela Brunelli, having in mixed doubles class 4, secured silver
in harness with Federico Crosara
Yang Qian (Australia) in class 20, she emerged a mixed doubles
silver medallist partnering Ma Lin, before securing women’s doubles
gold alongside Lei Li Na and in class 10, the women’s singles title
Korea Republic ended play the most successful association, a total
of 24 medals (10 gold, 5 silver, 9 bronze); next in line came Poland
with 15 medals (3 gold, 5 silver, 7 bronze), followed by France 14
medals (4 gold, 3 silver, 7 bronze)
Overall, 26 national associations won at least one medal
Kimie Besso, the most senior player
Sophia Kelmer, the youngest player
Paulo Salmin / Bruna Alexandre (Class 17)
All in A Day’s Work
The presentation team created 752 static images of 30 metres x 9
metres, placed side by side that would amount to 22.5 kilometres
of images
Also, 58 rendered videos for animations were produced.
Taking players, coaches, official into account, a total of 704
guests occupied 448 hotel rooms.
Medal Count
A total of 181 men and 147 women competed, overall, 39
events, 11 in each of the men’s and women’s singles, five
in each of the men’s and women’s doubles, seven in the
Thomas Brüchle / Sandra Mikolaschek (Class 7)
Kim Younggun / Jung Younga (Class 10)
Natalya Partyka / Patryk Chojnowski (Class 20)
Seo Yanghee / Kim Gitae (Class 22)
mixed doubles. In class 22 in both the men’s doubles and
mixed doubles only gold and silver medals were awarded,
in all other events there were two bronze medals
216 medals in total
110 medals for women
106 medals for men
73 men won medals
72 women won medals
45 men won bronze
45 women won bronze
26 women won gold
26 women won silver
25 men won silver
23 men won two medals
22 men won gold
20 women won two medals
9 women won three medals
5 men won three medals
Korea Republic the most successful team
Jordi Mesa led the high-tech wizards
56-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 57

WOMEN
Never Too Old
The competitive spirit as strong as ever,
Elmira Antonyan can look back on a very
successful 2022; not only did she secure
gold in women’s singles 65-69 years at
the Stag European Veteran Championships
in Rimini, earlier in the year in March she
became the most senior player ever to
reserve the top step of the podium at the
Swiss National Championships.
She won the women’s singles title, she
proved that if the spirit is willing, you are
never too old. However, that was not the
opinion of the local coach in the Armenian
capital city of Yerevan when she wanted to
try the sport of table tennis.
“I was almost ten years old when I
started to play table tennis”, recalled
Elmira Antonyan. “The coach told me I
was too old and gave me a one month
trial, after one month I was always under
observation in training; later I started
playing for the Dynamo Club in Yerevan.”
Rapid improvement followed, perhaps
living in Yerevan proved a blessing in
disguise, it added to her character, her
determination to succeed; at the time
Moscow was very much the focal point
when selection for the Soviet Union team
was in question.
In 1968 at the European Youth
Championships in the city then known as
Leningrad, now St Petersburg, less than
two months after her 13th birthday, she
made her international debut. It was the
first of seven consecutive appearances in
the annual tournament, on each occasion
departing with at least one medal. Overall,
the record read, eleven gold, four silver
and five bronze, notably on her concluding
appearance in 1974 in Göppingen, she
completed the clean sweep.
Additionally, at the European
Championships in four appearances
without a break, commencing in 1972
in Rotterdam she secured two gold and
two bronze medals, in 1975 at the World
Championships in Calcutta, one silver, one
bronze.
The playing career for the Soviet Union
concluded in 1984; immediately following
in Armenia she fulfilled the role of coach
and on occasions player for the women’s
team; the role terminated in 1991, the
year the state seceded from the Soviet
Union to become an independent country.
Women’s singles 65-69 years winner at the 2022 European Veteran Championships
National champion, Elmira Antonyan
receives her women’s singles award from
Claude Diethelm
Profile
Elmira Korjunovna Antonyan
Born: 28th June 1955 in Yerevan, Armenia
Current Residence: Wetzikon, Switzerland
Daughters: Marina born 1977, Alina born 1984
Granddaughter: Helena born 1997
Racket: Tibhar Samsonov Force Pro blade
Forehand rubber: Yasaka Mark 5 black
Backhand rubber: Joola Express Ultra red
58-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 59

WOMEN
Veteran Events
Competitive Spirit
Simply Elmira Antonian enjoys playing
Career Highlights
1978 Duisburg, Federal Germany
Later, in 1996 she commenced a seven-
table tennis but when there is an
Teenager
Bronze: Women’s Doubles (Valentina Popova)
year stint as coach for a south Tyrolean
opportunity to compete, something clicks
factory team in Bolzano, Italy; more
in the brain, the challenge, the thrill of
European Youth Championships
World Championships
significantly in that year she made her
competition is too great to refuse.
first appearance in the World Veteran
“The 2022 Swiss National Championships,
1968 Leningrad, Soviet Union
1975 Calcutta, India
Championships, nine years later in 2005
I didn’t plan to play, but Thierry Miller
Bronze: Cadet Girls’ Singles
Silver: Mixed Doubles (Sarkis Sarhajan)
she was on duty at the European Veteran
asked me if I was interested in playing
Bronze: Women’s Doubles (Tatiana Ferdman)
Championships.
mixed doubles”, reflected Elmira Antonyan,
1969 Obertraun, Austria
Overall, on the veteran scene, the record
who realised that with the absence of
Gold: Cadet Girls’ Singles
Note: Svetlana Fedorova is the married name of
just as in teenage days is most impressive,
Rachel Moret, the door was open.
Bronze: Cadet Girls’ Team (Alla Matveeva)
Svetlana Grinberg
as many gold medals as those of another
“It was clear that the defending champion
colour combined; to date taking both
couldn’t play, I saw a good opportunity
1970 Teesside, England
Veteran
tournaments into consideration, the tally
to win, and it worked!” continued Elmira
Silver: Junior Girls’ Team (Goar Khandratyan,
reads six gold, five silver and one bronze.
Antonyan. “I was very happy, with Thierry
Viktoria Volkova)
European Veteran Championships
Most impressive, it reflects her character,
we narrowly lost in the semi-finals.”
Bronze: Cadet Girls’ Singles
she enjoys competing but at such
Thierry Miller is another player of
2005 Bratislava, Slovakia
tournaments there is another reason.
longevity. Now 56 years old, as a 14 year
1971 Ostend, Belgium
Gold: Women’s Singles 50-59 Years
“Playing in Veteran World and European
old, taller and more powerful than those
Gold: Junior Mixed Doubles (Anatoly Strokatov)
Gold: Women’s Doubles 50-59 Years
Championships is an opportunity to meet
of his age, he trounced everybody at
Gold: Cadet Girls’ Team (Tatiana Ferdman)
(Theresia Földy)
up with old colleagues, play against each
the 1981 English Schools’ International
Silver: Junior Girls’ Doubles (Fatima Batyrova)
other again, dive into memories”, stressed
tournament in Gloucester to win the boys’
Silver: Cadet Girls’ Singles
2011 Liberec, Czech Republic
Elmira Antonyan. “It is good for the soul
Alongside Anatoli Strokatov in 1975
singles title and in so doing set a record.
Silver: Women’s Singles 50-59 Years
and body; certainly, in Rimini I was happy
He became the first non-English player
1972 Velje, Denmark
Silver: Women’s Doubles 50-59 Years
to win gold and with Petra Rubin silver.”
to win an individual event at the annual
Gold: Junior Girls’ Team (Fatima Batyrova, Tati-
(Larisa Andreeva)
In 2003 she moved to Switzerland,
tournament.
ana Ferdman, Elena Kuznetsova)
having met her husband, Arthur Brunner
The rumour is the duo intends to try
Gold: Junior Mixed Doubles (Anatoly Strokatov)
2022 Rimini, Italy
the previous year at the World Veteran
again in 2023 and no doubt the rumour
Bronze: Junior Girls’ Singles
Gold: Women’s Singles 65-69 Years
Championships in Lucerne; sadly, he
is correct; they will stretch every sinew in
Silver: Women’s Doubles 65-69 Years
passed away in 2015.
their efforts to win but above all they will
1973 Piraeus, Greece
(Petra Rubin)
Resident in Switzerland until 2013, she
enjoy the experience. Simply those are the
Gold: Junior Girls’ Team (Tatiana Ferdman)
was responsible for coaching young players
qualities to be emulated.
Gold: Junior Girls’ Singles
World Veteran Championships
both for the national association and at
“I advise young players to train hard,
Silver: Junior Girls’ Doubles (Tatiana Ferdman)
TTC Wetzikon. Although now officially
play confidently and bravely, never stop
Bronze: Junior Mixed Doubles (Bagrat Burnazyan)
1996 Lillehammer, Norway
retired, she works 40 per cent of the week
dreaming in your efforts to reach the
Gold: Women’s Singles 40-49 Years
in a food business, currently representing
highest place on the podium, never forget,
1974 Göppingen, Federal Germany
Young Stars Zurich in the Swiss National
near the table you are opponents, after the
Gold: Junior Girls’ Team (Tatiana Ferdman)
1998 Manchester, England
League.
game you are friends”, concluded Elmira
Gold: Junior Girls’ Singles
Gold: Women’s Doubles 40-49 Years
Likewise, her younger sister, Narine, who
Antonyan. “Enjoy the game!”
Gold: Junior Girls’ Doubles (Tatiana Ferdman)
(Jutta Trapp)
between 1977 and 1986 collected a host of
1975 partnering Sarkis Sarhajan
The advice sums up the character of
Gold: Junior Mixed Doubles (Bagrat Burnazyan)
Bronze: Women’s Singles
medals at European Youth and European
Elmira Antonyan, it sums up the reasons
Championships, continues to play in
why she keeps playing, it sums up why she
Senior
2002 Lucerne, Switzerland
Germany. Simply table tennis is in the
enjoyed such a successful career.
Silver: Women’s Doubles 40-49 Years
blood; for Elmira, it is therapeutic.
European Championships
(Jutta Trapp)
“When I stand in front of the table, I
forget everything, all daily worries, I don’t
1972 Rotterdam, Netherlands
2006 Bremen, Germany
feel my age. Often when I’m doing practice
Bronze: Women’s Team (Svetlana Fedorova,
Gold: Women’s Doubles 50-59 Years
routines like before, after five to ten
Asta Gedraitite, Zoja Rudnova)
(Jutta Trapp)
minutes I say hold on, take a little break”,
Silver: Women’s Singles 50-59 Years
explained Elmira Antonyan. “I’m sweating,
1974 Novi Sad, Yugoslavia
I’m moving, and I feel fit, table tennis is
Gold: Women’s Team (Asta Gedraitite, Zoja
my biggest hobby.”
Rudnova, Svetlana Fedorova)
1976 Prague, Czechoslovakia
Gold: Women’s Team (Tatiana Ferdman, Valentina
Popova, Zoja Rudnova)
Elmira Antonyan 1972 Elmira Antonyan 1972 Elmira Antonyan 1973
60-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 61

ITTF FOUNDATION
Enhancing Quality of Life
Dr Antonino Barbera and Francesca Vargas
A
familiar face on the international
scene, especially in Latin
America, an international debut
in 2009 at the Ecuador Junior and Cadet
Open, Peruvian national champion in
2012, the title regained in 2022, for
over a decade achieving honours centre
court has been the prime target for
Francesca Vargas.
Such aims continue but now for the
26-year-old there is another goal,
a mission. Diagnosed in July 2021
with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), she is
the Ambassador for NeuroPongTM,
the brainchild of Antonino Barbera,
a physician, recently retired after 31
years in practice.
“I was diagnosed with Multiple
Sclerosis in 2016, my first attack
resulted in a complete loss of motor
control of my right leg, associated
with complete absence of any feeling.
This episode lasted for two months,
eventually I recovered my limb. One
year later, I lost the use of my left arm:
a full paralysis, and this time it took
more than eight months to recover”,
explained Antonino Barbera. “I started
playing table tennis again and realised
that my chest discomfort (called MS
hug) was at least minimised by this
sport; at this point I decided to start
a non-profit organisation called Table
Tennis Connections, its goal bringing the
sport to everyone.”
An open-door policy is the principle,
participation at the helm, the slogan
underlining the initiative’s social importance:
“Welcome to a place where everybody can
connect around a ... blue table!”
Diverse and inclusive, there is no
discrimination, everyone is welcome.
The mandate endorses the principles
of the ITTF Foundation with whom an
agreement has been signed; Leandro
Olvech, the ITTF Foundation Director,
planning a most extensive initiative.
“We are very happy to work with
Table Tennis Connections and explore
new ways of using our favourite
sport to improve health; the recent
announcement of the upcoming World
Table Tennis for Health Festival in Crete,
Greece, 2023 is a good example”,
said Leandro Olvech. “We expect
through TT Connections to broaden the
TT4Health programme; we started with
Parkinson’s, next year with Alzheimer’s,
in the near future, as a result of
this new co-operation, with Multiple
Sclerosis.”
A most comprehensive initiative
for a sport that is one of the most
comprehensive and wide ranging of all;
there are no barriers, no limitations.
“As the ITTF vision says: Table Tennis.
For All. For life. It means for everyone
young and old”, added Leandro Olvech.
“As the ITTF Foundation vision says:
Table Tennis. For all. For a Better Life. It
stresses the aim to improve people’s life
through table tennis.”
Spread the Word
The “NeuroPongTM Program” is the major
project being promoted, a tailored table
tennis initiative directed towards people
with Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and
Dementia; the task to spread the word,
make anyone with a neurodegenerative
condition aware of the benefits gained by
playing table tennis.
Antonino Barbera has been promoting
the cause to all branches of society,
liaising with experts in a wide
range of fields, both nationally and
internationally.
The club location is in Fort Collins,
Colorado, situated in the west of the
United States. Alongside Antonino
Barbera, the Founder and Chief
Executive Officer; Randy How, a
Colorado State University graduate,
fulfils the role of Secretary, Quincy
Meisman, presently studying at the
university, is the Treasurer.
All are dedicated table tennis players,
more recreational than international,
not quite of the level achieved by
Francesca Vargas, now coming to terms
with her condition.
Randy How
Quincy Meisman
“One of my problems was that I lost
my balance completely, I was feeling
very dizzy and also having problems
with my vision. Thankfully, I have
recovered 100 per cent”, reflected
Francesca Vargas. “Now I am involved
with the “NeuroPongTM Program”
because I believe people with the same
condition as mine can benefit from
playing this amazing sport.”
Once again the various phrases that
have been extolled over the years ring
true, table tennis is universal; the sport
may not be a panacea for all ills but
without doubt makes a most valuable
contribution, that of enhancing the
quality of life.
Organised by the ITTF Foundation,
the inaugural “TT4Health Festival”,
promoting healthy lifestyles, will be held
in 2023 in Crete, Greece. The festival
will incorporate the World Parkinson’s
Championships and World Alzheimer’s
Championships, alongside other events
that promote healthy lifestyles.
“The success of the World Parkinson’s
Championships over the past few years
shows how important table tennis is
to these communities,” said Leandro
Olvech. “Expanding the 2023 edition to
include Alzheimer’s patients to create
a fully-fledged health centred festival
is the perfect mission for the ITTF
Foundation.”
62-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 63

ITTF FOUNDATION
Multiple Sclerosis
by Antonino Barbera MD
Dr Alaor Azevedo
ITTF Executive Vice President
(responsible for health, innovation and Para
table tennis)
It is impressive that the singular
movement of a ball flying from
one side of a table to another can
change the ability of the brain
to form and reorganise synaptic
connections. Consequently,
support is provided for those with
neurodegenerative disorders, such
as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s
and Dementia.
Another aspect very positive is
that table tennis can improve the
lives of patients with these diseases
by increasing the capacity to
challenge the brain when playing,
trying to overcome an opponent
in your own way; it makes
neuroplasticity work in our favour.
As a medical doctor, I am most
enthusiastic and supportive of
the efforts made by Dr. Antonino
Barbera in collaboration with Peru’s
Francesca Vargas, who fulfils the
role of Ambassador in promoting
the NeuroPongTM Program.
I am sure this project, with the
full support of the ITTF Foundation,
will grow in many places of the
world and benefit thousands of
people.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most
common neurological disease in young
adults between the age of 20 and 40, a
ratio women to men of 3:1.
Even though we do not know what
causes it, MS is a result of a physical
damage of the protective layers of our
nerve fibres, called myelin. This layer
insulates our nerve cells, basically
acting like the insulation of an electrical
wire, its integrity is responsible for the
quality of the electrical signals that
control our body. Our movements, our
vision, our hearing, our speech, our
bladder, our bowels, our thoughts,
our feelings are all controlled by the
integrity of the electrical signals from
and to the brain.
Multiple Sclerosis is considered to
be an autoimmune condition because
the myelin is attacked and damaged
by our own immune system. The
result of this damage is an abnormal
transmission of the nerve signals or its
complete interruption, this causes very
unpredictable symptoms:
-Vision problems
-Tingling and/or numbness in
the face, arms, legs, fingers
-Pain and muscle spasms
-Stiff muscles, stiff joints
-Weakness and fatigue
-Balance problems
-Dizziness
-Bladder/bowel issues
-Cognitive problems
There are four different types of MS:
1.Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS). It is
an isolated episode of symptoms (one or
more than one) that last at least 24 hours.
2.Relapsing-remitting (RR). This is the
most common. After recovering from the
first episode of symptoms, people with
this type of MS can have other attacks
where symptoms flare up and then
improve, sometimes almost completely,
for weeks, months or even years.
3.Secondary progressive (SP). It begins
as the type two but it then becomes more
progressive.
4.Primary-progressive (PP). This type
is characterised by the fact that the
condition steadily worsens without any
period of remission.
The capability of our brain to produce
new cells (neurogenesis) and to produce
a new nerve network (neuroplasticity)
if appropriately challenged, is of
paramount significance for people with
MS. This amazing process can continue
throughout our entire life under the
right circumstances.
Aerobic activity stimulates new brain
cells, co-ordination exercises strengthen
the connections between those new
cells, both activities being then powerful
brain boosters.
Having this picture in mind is
not surprising that, because of its
peculiarity, table tennis can provide
great support in people experiencing
cognitive decline and neurodegenerative
disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis.
For this purpose, Table Tennis
Connections has established a tailored
“NeuroPongTM Program” for people with
Multiple Sclerosis. The Program wants to
be a novel form of alternative strategy
to improve the overall quality of life
of people living with the condition and
its practice worldwide to bring positive
benefits to the community.
64-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 65

SPORTS SCIENCE & MEDICINE
Importance of Sleep
for Young Athletes
by Miran Kondrič
ITTF Sports Science and Medical Committee
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Sport
Do children sleep enough?
How healthy is their sleep? Do
parents and coaches follow
recommendations on healthy sleep
for youngsters?
There are many factors that have
an influence on sports performance.
One of them is sleeping and
sleeping habits. We know from daily
experience that sleep is an important
physiological process. Despite more
than a 100 year history of sleep
research and the existence of many
hypotheses, the meaning is still not
entirely clear why we sleep.
One thing is certain; sleep is a
biological necessity because without
sleep there is no life. Today we know
that sleep is not rest, but a very
active process; during sleep some
parts of the brain are even more
active than when awake. Besides
food, water and oxygen, people
cannot live without sleep.
The general belief that the body
and especially the central nervous
system rest during sleep has for
many years been recognised as no
longer valid. In some stages of sleep,
the brain is much more active than
during wakefulness. Therefore, sleep
probably plays an important role in
the maturation of the brain, namely a
new-born whose brain is in a phase of
intensive development, sleeps more
than two-thirds of the day. Sleep is
thus a primary brain activity in early
life development, occupying more
than half of the first few years of life.
A child’s sleep is quite different
from the sleep we know in an
adult. In the first months of life,
intensive rearrangements of the
amount, structure and timing of
sleep take place, a direct reflection
of the maturation of the brain. Sleep
disorders are common in children and
if they are not properly recognised
and treated, they can lead to a lack
of sleep; this causes consequences
for both the physical and cognitive
development of the child.
Growing research shows that
children with deficient sleep are at a
higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes,
reduced immunity, mental health,
and behavioural problems. Children
between the age of six to 12 need
nine to 12 hours of sleep each night,
while those in the age range 13 to 18
years need eight to 10 hours of sleep.
Teens who do not have enough sleep
may exhibit more risky behaviours.
Many hormones are secreted during
sleep, including growth hormones;
they play a decisive role in the
growth and development of the child.
Newer findings also confirm the
important role of sleep in processing
information in the central nervous
system, consolidating memory,
learning and other higher nervous
activities. Sufficient sleep is therefore
considered one of the most basic
needs for the healthy growth and
development of a child.
It is estimated that 10 to 30 per cent
of children and adolescents have sleep
problems. Different sleep disorders
can have different causes, but they
usually cause similar problems in
children and adolescents. For old age,
insufficient sleep is usually the result
of having difficulty falling asleep and/
or maintaining sleep due to frequent
night awakenings. Poor sleep quality
or interrupted sleep is usually caused
by frequent, repeated short-term
awakenings due to a wide variety
of causes, of which children and
adolescents are often not even aware.
Such awakenings may be the result
of breathing or movement disorders
during sleep or various parasomnias.
Disturbed sleep can also be caused by
the inappropriate timing of sleep. All
these mechanisms result in excessive
daytime sleepiness. The latter can
also occur primarily in hypersomnia
(excessive sleepiness) resulting in
narcolepsy (chronic sleep disorder
characterised by overwhelming
daytime drowsiness and sudden
attacks of sleep).
Schoolchildren and adolescents sleep
less than the recommended amount
of sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation
leads to physical and behaviouralcognitive
consequences. Lack of sleep
is the result of several biological and
sociocultural factors. Among the
latter, poor sleep hygiene with the use
of various electronic devices before
going to bed and the early start of
classes in schools predominate.
In most countries worldwide,
elementary school students sleep too
little and have bad sleeping habits. Sleep
disorders in children also affect their
parents’ sleep and family dynamics.
Thus, it is important to provide table
tennis players, their parents, and
coaches with information regarding
the development of sleep and sleep
disorders in different age periods.
They need to recommend healthy
sleep for children from early childhood
to adolescence. Experts should
present measures that can be used to
promote the development of a child’s
rhythm of wakefulness and sleep, in
addition to appropriate connections
with sleep, in this way preventing
many sleepless nights for a young
table tennis player.
Recent findings confirm that sleep
plays an important role in removing
toxic products and processing
information in the central nervous
system, consolidating memory,
learning and other cognitive abilities.
In the short term, a lack of sleep
and its poor-quality cause a lack of
energy, reduce attention, weaken
recall and memory, impair work
efficiency and responsiveness.
None of these factors is of benefit
to young table tennis players. The
World Association for Sleep Disorders
(WASM - World Association of Sleep
Medicine) therefore emphasises how
important it is to take care of healthy
sleep and how important it is to
recognise sleep disorders and treat
them accordingly.
We strongly recommend all the table
tennis players, coaches, and other
stakeholders to make use of the IOC
Athlete 365 action/course on Sleep
to compete: https://olympics.com/
athlete365/sleep-to-compete/
Further reading:
St-Onge M, McReynolds A, Trivedi
Z, Roberts A, Sy M, Hirsch J. Sleep
restriction leads to increased
activation of brain regions sensitive
to food stimuli. Am J Clin Nutr.
2012;95(4):818–824.
Spaeth A, Dinges D, Goel N. Resting
metabolic rate varies by race and
by sleep duration. Obesity (Silver
Spring). 2015;23(12):2349–2356.
Spaeth A, Dinges D, Goel N. Effects
of Experimental Sleep Restriction
on Weight Gain, Caloric Intake, and
Meal Timing in Healthy Adults. Sleep.
2013;36(7)981–990.
66-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 67

COLLECTOR
Through
the eye
of the
camera
Never seeking the
limelight but making
sure the limelight
is recorded for
posterity; for over 60
years it has been the
fascination of Malcolm
Anderson, a collection
in excess of 70,000
photographs conjures
memories of halcyon
bygone days.
1951 in Crystal Lake, Illinois At the Chicago Table Tennis Club in 1977
1975 Burlington Camera Club in New Jersey
Born in Elgin, Illinois on 19th
December 1938, an elder brother
Douglas, now retired and resident
in Bradford, Massachusetts, the
photographic record stretches from little
known competitors at the 1956 Crystal
Lake High School Championships in Illinois
to such modern day notables as Kanak
Jha and Lily Zhang, players who presently
lead the United States challenge.
Sandwiched in between appears a
host of illustrious names. Not a world
champion missing; need an image, as
is the modern day terminology, of Deng
Yaping or Jan-Ove Waldner in their
teenage days and one such valuable
collectable can be found.
A chemical engineer by profession,
Malcolm Anderson’s first taste of
competitive table tennis was in 1956
when attending university.
“I’d played lots of “ping pong” in
grade and high school, but it was at the
University of Wisconsin when I really
encountered table tennis”, reflected
Malcolm Anderson. “It was a revelation!
I started re-learning how to play; my
first tournament was the University of
Wisconsin Championships.”
Malcolm was impressed and
undoubtedly motivated by Steve
Isaacson, the University champion, who
10 years later would be the founder
of the United States Table Tennis
Association (USTTA) Hall of Fame.
“When I was first exposed to table
tennis at Wisconsin my ambition was
to become the best player in the
United States, there was no organised
coaching then, players just played and
learned haphazardly”, stressed Malcolm
Anderson. “I started taking my camera
to tournaments and photographing the
top players there, hoping to analyse
their play so I could become better.”
Good thinking, the outcome not quite
as anticipated but Malcolm did become
the best table tennis photographer in
the United States!
The interest in the sport was kindled.
He improved, stationed for 18 months
at Edgewood Arsenal Maryland,
he won an Army Championships
tournament and a novice tournament
at the Minnesota Championships, but
arguably those were not his career best
performances.
“Years later I won one game from
Dick Miles!” smiled Malcolm Anderson.
Now that was no mean performance,
Dick Miles was a men’s singles
bronze medallist at the 1959 World
Championships in Dortmund.
68-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 69

COLLECTOR
Hans Alser at Arden,
Delaware in 1964
Bernie Bukiet at the 1961 US Open
Bob Gusikoff at the 1964 New York Open
Dick Miles at the 1965 US Open
Official roles
of Recording Secretary, eventually
However, it was outside the playing
relinquishing the offices in the late
arena that Malcolm was to rise in
1980s.
stature.
Oustanding service, he was inducted
In 1961, Norman Kilpatrick, at
into the USTTA Hall of Fame in 1997, in
the time editor of the table tennis
2011 he was appointed a USTTA Hall of
publication “Topics”, later to assume
Fame Board member, the Secretary in
the role of USTTA President, appointed
2014, the year in which he was named
Malcolm staff photographer for the
USTTA Photo-Historian of the Year.
magazine. It was a move that led him to
A wealth of information has been
become Chair of the USTTA Photography
gathered over the years and a host of
Committee in 1963, a position he held
precious memories gained through the
until 1986, a total of 23 years!
lens of his camera.
Additionally, in November 1962
“I’ve enjoyed everyone of the ten
Malcolm was the first to pass the USTTA
World Championships I have attended”,
Umpires Examination, a direct effect
reflected Malcolm Anderson. “In
being that in 1972 he ascended to the
particular I always liked watching Ann-
status of Chair of the USTTA Rules
Christin Hellman play, in fact she is a
Erwin Klein in 1961 at the Net & Paddle
Leah Neuberger at 1962 Eastern Open
Committee, at the time known as the
distant cousin!”
Club, Chicago, Illinois
Legislative Committee, a position he
Notably, at the Hall of Fame Banquet
was not to relinquish until 1995.
in December 2011, Malcolm was
One year later in 1973, he became the
awarded the Mark Matthews Lifetime
United States first International Umpire;
Achievement Award. First held in 1999,
the qualification led to him serving on
Mark Matthews was a leading player
the ITTF Rules Committee from 1975 to
in the 1920s and 1930s, he wanted a
1995, notably from 1985, the Secretary,
higher level award for the best Hall of
under the chairmanship of England’s
Fame inductees.
Colin Clemett.
Quite simply the award sums up
Always active, in the 1960s Malcolm
the contribution made by Malcolm
rose to the position of USTTA Vice
Anderson; the collection is invaluable,
President, a position he held for four
no narrative but not necessary, each
terms, then for a further term the role
picture paints a thousand words.
Ann-Christin Hellman at the 1981 World
Wendy Hicks at the 1968 US Open Team
Championships
Championships
70-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 71

HISTORY
Murrayfield’s
Magical
Memorial
T
he year 2026 moves ever closer,
the year that will celebrate 100
years of the International Table
Tennis Federation.
A landmark that awaits, for the
Murrayfield Table Tennis Club, formed in
1922, located in the Scottish capital city
of Edinburgh, the date has passed; on
Saturday 12th November, the centenary
was celebrated.
Venue for the gala was a packed to
the brim, Out of the Blue Drill Hall
in nearby Leith. Notably, the event
brought together players from the club’s
past, leading figures from Scottish
table tennis, as well as young academy
players hoping to make a big impression
on the sport in the future.
Hailed by Lindsay Muir, club
President since 1985, a “magical
night”, Murrayfield is a most active
club. Currently they field seven teams
across the Scottish National League’s
six divisions, as well as competing in
the Edinburgh and Lothians League.
Furthermore, in 2022 the club competed
in the European Table Tennis Union’s
Men’s and Women’s Team Europe Trophy.
Celebrating the past but on the other
side of the coin forward thinking.
Presently, Gordon Muir, the club’s
head coach, is co-ordinating several
tournaments, including the popular
Edinburgh banded events; the result is
the club’s involvement in development
is as extensive as ever. Lindsay Muir,
who is also the principal organiser of
the Scottish National League, stated
very clearly that he has “never seen
the club so busy”; a growing number of
players and qualified coaches bodes well
for the future.
At the centenary event, Terry
McLernon MBE, Chair of Table Tennis
Scotland and Stewart MacGowan,
Honorary President, jointly presented
an award to Lindsay Muir in recognition
of his contribution to the sport. Richard
Yule, Chief Operating Officer of Table
Tennis Scotland, was the main speaker,
a record 285 appearances as a player,
he is the most capped Scotsman in any
sport.
Congratulations was very much the
theme of his speech, noting in particular
that in recent decades, Murrayfield
had enjoyed leadership from three
outstanding figures: Michael MacLaren,
Lindsay McCrea and Lindsay Muir. He
stressed all had played leading roles
not only in Murrayfield but also within
Scottish table tennis.
Murrayfield Table Tennis Club is the
last surviving part of the Murrayfield
Memorial Club, established in 1922 in
memory of locals who died in World War
One. The Memorial Club was particularly
active until the Second World War,
providing weekly lectures, slide shows
and recreational activities such as
chess, bridge, billiards and table tennis.
Table tennis became an increasingly
prominent section of the club. Having
taken part in the wartime leagues,
Murrayfield first entered what at
the time was termed the Edinburgh
and District League in 1945. In the
immediate post-war period, the league
grew from 46 teams in 1946 to 81 such
outfits in 1950; by the season 1959,
the table tennis section had become
the dominant part of the Murrayfield
Memorial Club. In 1968, Murrayfield
had eight teams across seven league
divisions, it has remained a leading club
ever since that date.
Having sold their original premises
in 1983, the club uses the hall at
The Church of the Good Shepherd in
Roseburn, not far from the famous
Murrayfield Rugby Stadium. In addition,
the club regularly uses a further four
venues across the city. They include
the two successful “Pop in and Play”
venues at the Gyle Shopping Centre and
Ocean Terminal, which the club runs in
partnership with Table Tennis Scotland.
A short history of the club (Murrayfield
Memorial Club: the First 100 Years) has
recently been published. The history
builds on the work of Michael MacLaren,
a key figure within the club who
tragically died after suffering a heart
attack during a match in 1999.
The history contains tales of epic
matches with local rivals Gambit,
Tynecastle, Polwarth and, in recent
years, North Merchiston. Misbehaviour
by teenage players features, as
does the club’s lengthy search for a
permanent new venue. Stories include
a cup match at Murrayfield in 1968
involving a Saughton prison team
which fielded two convicted murderers.
Notably, prominent are the top players
that the club has developed, such as
Colin Robertson and Pete Lugton in the
1990s. Also, featured are the names of
recent internationals Calum Morrison,
Faye Leggett and 2020 Scottish
champion Colin Dalgleish, a member
of the Scottish Commonwealth Games
team in Birmingham.
Presently, Murrayfield has a growing
team of able and knowledgeable
coaches, passing on their advice.
Looking forward to the next 100 years,
Murrayfield Table Tennis Club is keen
to be at the forefront of a significant
expansion of the sport.
It seeks to raise the profile of the
sport and see it realise its potential in
terms of promoting physical and mental
health; while the centenary is a time
to reflect on the club’s history, it will
hopefully provide a springboard for
further growth and development.
Women’s British League 1989 - Eleanor McIlroy, Sarah Hurry, Carole The 1981 team - Graham Sutherland, Keith Rodger, Roger Thomas, Terry
Dalrymple, Elizabeth Robb
Forker, Eric Sutherland, Scott Rennie
First Murrayfield team to win Edinburgh League Winners of the Edinburgh League in 1995 - Paul
in 1987 - Jonathan Wilson, Jim Wilson, Brian Dilger, Sarah Hurry, Peter Lugton and Colin
Cornet, Anwar Majid
Robertson
Scottish National League Squad in 2021
Jimmy Young, Eric Henderson, Richard Yule and
The late Michael MacLaren
Eddie Still
Colin Dalgleish, Edinburgh Championships 2008
Club stamp 1922
Lindsay Muir with a 2012 Olympic Games torch
72-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 73

MATCH OFFICIALS
Valued
Judgements
Determining the level of risk
when making decisions in
the business world; then when
Andalucia
A satisfying venture later
in the table tennis hall reaching
there was to another mission
conclusions by thoughtful
but of a very different ilk,
evaluation, the vocation of the
he was the referee at the
Czech Republic’s Petr Bohumsky
Andalucia 2022 World Para
and that of his calling, an
Championships staged in early
to the tournament was
control failures. As I said,
International Referee, require
November in Granada.
different; unlike standard Para
nothing special!”
very similar talents. He is an
“My nomination was decided
tournaments, the event was
Quite simply for Petr
actuary, a much sought-after
approximately two months
played on a knock-out system,
Bohumsky he was in his
profession that requires more
before the championships;
fewer players were seeded,
comfort zone, he enjoyed the
high-level qualifications than
that was when preparation
for the first time in history,
organisational aspect but also,
Date of Birth: 23rd September 1971
Ma Long has world titles.
started”, explained Petr
doubles titles were awarded.”
when time permitted, cast
City of Birth: Opava, historical town
Meticulous preparation,
Bohumsky. “I’m not a specialist
Granada was a big challenge,
an admiring eye towards the
in Silesia
attention to detail, wellreasoned
judgements; such
are the qualities of the quietly
“
It was my first experience conducting
in Para tournaments, so I
had to remind myself a lot
of things; also, I benefitted
no less than 39 events and a
wide range of abilities; thanks
to meticulous preparation, the
players as they extolled their
skills. Similar to all, when
you watch Para sport, you go
Current Residence: Prague
Education: Master of Science in
Mathematics, Charles University
spoken Petr Bohumsky.
“There are many necessary
qualities to being an
International Referee, I wish
an international referee school...
“
from consulting with more
experienced colleagues,
especially Tina Crotta, Tomas
Varga and Asko Rasinen.”
schedule ran to a timing of
which the Japanese Shinkansen
would have been proud. The
efforts of Petr Bohumsky
through stages. The first time
you watch, you focus on a
player’s disability, about half an
hour later you focus on a table
in Prague; Master of Business
Administration, Pittsburgh
University; Master of Healthcare
Administration, Healthcare Institute
I had more of them; for
Undoubtedly a World Para
made a major contribution
tennis match. Petr Bohumsky
Prague
example, to be more calm
Championships is a unique
to the week-long event being
is very much of that ilk.
Profession: Actuary
and less impatient”, said Petr
phenomenon. The 2022
acclaimed the “best ever”.
“Para tournaments always
Bohumsky.
version was even more unique,
“I can’t think of any big
bring great satisfaction,
The comment is the antithesis
practical skills that allow you
was alongside an experienced
the format trod new ground in
problems; problems are meant
it is not table tennis of
of his character, he is the
to solve the problem or to deal
colleague Michael Zwipp; I
more than one respect. New
to be solved on an ongoing
the highest level, and yet
epitome of calmness, the
with the situation; last but not
enjoy teaching, it was the
events were introduced, the
basis; I had experienced
the players demonstrate
master of the unflustered
least, the values in order to act
same in Helsinki, I hope
presentation at a whole new
deputy referees in the team
their maximum sporting
response; extremely modest,
honestly and with respect to
that the participants were
level.
and also the group of umpires
performances; moreover, with
never seeking the limelight,
others. The referee has to be
also satisfied”, reflected Petr
“The World Championships
was exceptionally good, we
a smile and ever-present fair
quickly he gains the utmost
a hard worker, but the work is
Bohumsky. “Most of them were
is always an event of special
solved both technical and
play”, he stressed. “In my
confidence of those with whom
rewarding and satisfying.”
experienced referees from
importance, during which the
organisational issues”, reflected
first experiences with Para
he works.
Knowledgeable with a host
tournaments organised by their
high level of presentation of
Per Bohumsky. “For example,
table tennis, I felt pity and
“In general, as an
of events under his belt, but
associations, I was impressed
our sport is taken care of; it
I didn’t expect that players
compassion, which could affect
International Referee, I find
in October, there was a new
by the high level of discussion;
is necessary to co-ordinate
weren’t used to proving
a referee’s performance; this
it equally important to follow
venture, he was a course
I am confident that this group
the creative plans of the
medical limitations with their
time, I believe we managed
three aspects; first, the
conductor for an International
will make excellent referees.
organisers and the needs of
classification card; specific
to set up a normal inclusive
technical knowledge in order
Referee Course in Finland.
They now need to gain as
the tournament management”,
rules for wheelchair users are
environment and, regardless
to know and to understand all
“It was my first experience
much experience as possible
explained Petr Bohumsky.
sometimes very difficult to
of the severity of individual
facts, rules and procedures”,
conducting an international
from international events and
“Even on the part of the
assess and, we had several
cases, created fair conditions
he stressed. “Then, the
referee school, fortunately, I
meet different referees.”
participants, the approach
interesting cases of racket
for competition.”
74-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 75

MATCH OFFICIALS
Parental Influence
A long journey, one which
continues in a sport he
inherited from his parents, his
father played in the country’s
second highest league and
met his mother through table
tennis.
“There was a great group
of friends at our local club,
we still keep in touch today.
I also played chess, but in
the end focused on table
tennis; although we were not
among the most important
clubs but we did win some
medals at the national
championships”, reminisced
Petr Bohumsky. “At fifteen,
I moved to another town to
study, and that stopped my
further development; during
my studies at the university,
my team fought its way into
the highest Czech league,
but it was beyond my playing
strength.”
Aware of his limitations as a
player and perhaps not likely to
follow illustrious Czech names
such as the legendary Ivan
Andreadis or more recently
Petr Korbel, attention turned to
that of match official.
“An important national
tournament was organised in
my hometown every year, and
I enjoyed helping my father;
then I organised tournaments
for friends, and that was
probably the beginning”,
explained Petr Bohumsky. “I
had obtained my umpire’s
licence already during my
active playing career and
helped at various local events
in the Czech Republic and
Slovakia.”
Significantly, it was the
era of the early 1990s when
the interest of officiating
was kindled, the start of a
technological revolution,
the first personal computers
appeared.
“I was involved in introducing
the use of computers in
our association, including
tournament and competition
management programs”, added
Petr Bohumsky.
2016 in Kuala Lumpur alongside the
Corbillon Cup
Top photo: The referee team in
Granada, Carlos Zapata, Park
Insook, Petr Bohumsky, Fernando
Moleda
Motivated, he attended an
International Referee School
in 2005 in Paris, duly passed
and thus the career of an
international match official
began in earnest; one in which
being a referee took priority.
“The umpire’s work is also
very interesting, every referee
needs to try it sometimes
to better understand what
is happening at the table,
but I do not have unlimited
time for tournaments, so I
only specialised in one area”,
explained Petr Bohumsky.
“Both jobs have their specifics,
so I believe it is good if the
match official focuses on one
of them; especially for players,
it can be misleading to meet
the same match officials
in different roles and with
different powers.”
Focused on one responsibility
but on occasions attention
does wander to another, where
it all started.
“I still play table tennis,
from time to time I move to
a lower level of competition
so that I can still play without
practising”, concluded
Petr Bohumsky. “I would
recommend everyone to
go and play occasionally or
regularly, to remind ourselves
what a beautiful sport we work
for.”
Food for thought; for those
who progress to any role in
officialdom or administration,
too often we can become
embroiled in arguments,
disagreements and ill-feeling.
We forget why we are here; we
forget the major factor that led
to our current position.
Has Petr Bohumsky not hit
matters firmly on the head,
demonstrated his skills as an
actuary and referee? Pick up
a racket, play table tennis, go
back to the roots, have fun,
shake hands and who knows,
common sense might just bring
harmony.
Alongside Jean-Philippe Gatien making the draw at the Paris
2013 World Championships
Top photo: The referee team in Granada, Fernando Moldea,
Carlos Zapata, Park Insook, Petr Bohumsky
76-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 77

DEVELOPING NATIONS
Revitalising the
Falkland Islands
A landmark date, on Wednesday
24th November at the 2021 Annual
General Meeting staged in Houston, the
International Table Tennis Federation
solidified its position of having more
participants than any other comparable
organisation, the Falkland Islands
became officially the 227th member
association.
Located in the South Atlantic Ocean, a
population of some 3,000 inhabitants,
most living in Stanley the capital
city, others in sparsely populated
rural communities, the driving force
is Cecil Alexander, a man who wears
many hats. In addition to being Chair
of the Falkland Islands Table Tennis
Association, he is a Justice of the Peace,
sits on the Falkland Islands Education
Board and is Secretary of the Falkland
Islands National Sport Council.
“I’m not sure how table tennis started
in the islands, table tennis was played
but became dormant”, explained Cecil
Alexander. “Nothing was happening;
myself and Mark Nightingale, the Sports
Development Officer at the time, started
table tennis again in January 2019.”
Revitalising the sport, the duo became
founder members of the Falkland
Islands Table Tennis Association.
“The local leisure centre had two
tables”, explained Cecil Alexander. “We
saw the opportunity to create something
in the community; we received some
funds from the Sports Council to start
a club, we bought tables and other
equipment, we have four tables, a
robot, bats and balls.”
In the Falklands, the government
supports the National Sports Council
who, in turn support the clubs; financial
support for the National Sports Council
comes from the Falkland Islands
Government and local businesses.
Currently, club nights are organised
in a squash court located at the leisure
centre, finding a place in the actual
sports hall is difficult owing to the wide
range of sports on offer. However, the
future does look bright.
“There is a new sports facility being
Cecil Alexander
Date of Birth: 11th March 1981
Town of Birth: Worcester, South Africa
Current Residence: Falkland Islands
Qualifications: Master’s degree in quality management and engineering
Current Employment: Project Manager, Falkland Islands Government
Family: Married to Ronushia, daughter Jana (seven years old), son Douglas (six
years old), brother Jaco.
Sports: Bowls, cricket, table tennis
built which will allow more room and step and making sure that decisions are
accessibility to a bigger venue, there is sustainable, not pie in the sky.
hope that this facility will be completed “At the moment, we have around
in 2023; we will need more tables once 20 regular players and other social
we have a bigger venue”, stressed members who come and go; we have a
Cecil Alexander. “There has been a club night once a week open to anyone,
good uptake since the club night was high performance squad training three
started but due to the small population times a week for two hours”, continued
and a huge variety of sports which are Cecil Alexander. “Junior club sessions
accessible to all, it is difficult to keep are held once a week after school for
players; they easily switch between one semester in the year; we have
sports.”
yearly nationals in March and a multisport
event where we participate
It is a case of building from the base,
taking time, assessing the current against the military, table tennis is one
situation, carefully considering the next of the sports.”
Open Door
An open-door policy is promoted; efforts
being made to spread the word in an
area of the world where indoor sports
can flourish. In mid-winter, the month
of July, daylight can be as short as three
hours; in fact, since 2011, the islands
have maintained daylight saving time
throughout the whole year. Also, travel
directly south and after 752 miles you
arrive at Cape Dubouzet, the northern tip
of the Antarctic Peninsula.
“We continue to invite people to club
nights and tournaments, we have posts
on our community social media page
and in the local newspaper; the TV
station covers some of our events”,
explained Cecil Alexander. “We aim
to have our own Facebook page set
up soon and plan to have a junior
programme.”
Progressing domestically and further
afield, forays have been made into
the international arena; three players
represented the Falklands at the 2019
Island Games in Gibraltar, one at the
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth
Games, Javier Sotomayor, the national
champion.
“Joining the ITTF in 2021 brings
access to international tournaments
and development assistance. It is also
about being recognised as independent,
regarding flights our most accessible
neighbours are Chile and the United
Kingdom,” concluded Cecil Alexander.
“We plan to compete in the 2023 Island
Games and the 2026 Commonwealth
Games, we hope to become a member
of ITTF Americas and generally grow the
sport domestically.”
Early days but the spirit is willing, a
sound start has been made, the house
has been built on solid foundations;
most importantly there is a motivated
leader, a certain Cecil Alexander.
2021 Stanley versus the Military Team
Javier Sotomayor receives the 2020 men’s
singles award from Ceceil Alexander
Play at the 2020 national championships
Javier Sotomayor interviwed at the Birmingham
2022 Commonwealth Games
78-ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 79

ITTF HIGH PERFORMANCE & DEVELOPMENT
October – December 2022
Participation Programme
Americas
Mon 26th Sep – Wed 5th Oct: Training Camp in Willemstad, Curaçao
Expert: Carlos Esnard / Coaches: 8 / Players: 16 boys, 14 girls
National Projects
Including national championships, training camps & school projects
Africa: Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Libya
Asia
Tue 6th – Sat 15th Oct: Training Camp in San Salvador, El Salvador
Americas: Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana,
Expert: Luisana Perez / Coaches: 14 men, 4 women / Players: 12
Puerto Rico, Uruguay
boys, 9 girls
Asia: Oman, Singapore, Tadjikistan, Uzbekistan
Oceania: Tahiti
Online Services
Member associations received 45 hours of online services
Tue 18th - Wed 26th Oct: Technical Course for Coaches (ITTF-
PTT Level 1) in Benghazi, Libya
Expert: Ramzi B.H Mabrouk / Coaches: 18 men, 2 women /
Africa (35 hours): Egypt, Mauritania, Mauritius, Rwanda, Zimbabwe
Players: 17 men, 2 women
Americas (10 hours): Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands
Sat 22nd – Sun 31st Oct: Training Camp in Manila, Philippines
Olympic Solidarity
Mon 5th – Wed 14th Dec: Technical Course for Coaches (ITTF-PTT Level
1) in Niamey, Nigeria
Expert: Mohammed Atoum / Coaches: 4 / Players: 9 boys, 11 girls
Expert: Paul Tiendrebeogo / Coaches: 4 / Players: 22 boys, 6 girls
Sun 6th – Tue 15th Nov: National Hopes Week & Challenge in Lima,
Fri 18th – Sun 27th Nov: Developing Member Associations in Brunei
Peru
Thu 24th Nov – Thu 1st Dec: Technical Course for Coaches (ITTF-PTT
Expert: Trevor Hirth / Coaches: 14 / Players: 20 boys, 12 girls, 4 para
Expert: Carlos Esnard / Coaches: 6 men, 4 women / Players: 13
Level 1) in Vilnius, Lithuania
boys, 14 girls
Expert: Pacinthe Osman / Coaches: 6 men, 3 women
Thu 24th Nov – Fri 2nd Dec: Training Camp in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Expert: Yevgeniy Timchenko / Coaches: 4 / Players: 20 boys, 7 girls
Continental Projects
Continental Hopes Week & Challenge
Fri 25th Nov – Fri 2nd Dec: Training Camp in Damascus, Syria
Expert: Ashraf Abdel-Fatah / Coaches: 30 / Players: 12 boys, 7 girls
Sat 22nd – Sun 30th Oct: Technical Course for Coaches (ITTF Level 2) &
Training Camp in Kathmandu, Nepal
Africa
Expert: Christina Chee / Coaches: 16 men, 3 women / Players: 15 men,
Sun 16th – Sun 23rd Oct: National Hopes Week & Challenge in
12 women
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Expert: Paul Tiendrebeogo / Coaches: 4 / Players: 12 boys, 8 girls
Sat 12th – Mon 21st Nov: Developing Member Associations in Dakar,
Senegal
Expert : Paul Tiendrebeogo / Coaches: 4 / Players: 17 boys, 6 girls
Mon 21st – Mon 28th Nov: National Hopes Week & Challenge in
Mon 17th – Friday 21st Oct: Oceania Hopes Week & Challenge in
Panama City, Panama
Thu 13th – Sat 22nd Oct: Technical Course for Coaches (ITTF-PTT Level
Hamilton, New Zealand
Expert: Rafael Armendariz / Coaches: 6 men, 2 women / Players: 21
1) & Training Camp in Beirut, Lebanon
Coaches: Eva Jeler, George Logothetis / Players: 11 boys, 9 girls
boys, 9 girls
Expert: Ashraf Abd Alfatah / Coaches: 24 men, 4 women / Players: 6
Member associations: Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga
men, 6 women
Oceania
Tue 8th – Tue 15th Oct: Para Training Camp in Noumea, New
Caledonia
Expert: Trevor Hirth / Coaches: 2 men, 2 women / Players: 14 men,
11 women
Sun 20th – Mon 28th Nov: National Hopes Week & Challenge in
Lagos, Nigeria
Expert: Matjaz Sercer / Coaches: 7 / Players: 17 boys, 12 girls
Tue 22nd Nov – Thu 1st Dec: Developing a National Sports Structure in
Asuncion, Paraguay
Expert: Carlos Esnard / Administrators: 8 / Coaches: 9 / Players: 8 boys,
Mon 31st Oct – Sat 5th Nov: Asia Hopes Week & Challenge, Almaty,
6 girls
Kazakhstan
Coach: Massimo Costantini / Players: 15 boys, 10 girls
Sun 4th – Tue 13th Dec: Developing Member Associations in Port
Tue 13th – Sat 17th Dec: Technical Course for Coaches (ITTF-PTT Level
Member associations: Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia,
Tue 6th – Sun 11th Dec: ITTF Level 2 Coach Education in Addis Ababa
Moresby, Papua New Guinea
1) in Mexico City, Mexico
Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Expert: Ramzi B.H. Mabrouk / Coaches: 18 men, 2 women
Expert: Trevor Hirth / Participants: 23 men (6 para), 15 women (1 para)
Expert: Carlos Esnard / Coaches 21 men, 11 women
80-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 81

ITTF HIGH PERFORMANCE & DEVELOPMENT
Mentorship Programme
Received 246 applications, 38 mentees selected from 26
member associations
Para Table Tennis Athletes Grants
Received 69 applications, 11 beneficiaries
Regional Initiatives
Education
Sat 19th – Mon 21st Nov: European Table Tennis Union Annual Coaching
Conference in Vila Nova De Gaia, Portugal
Experts: Massimo Costantini, Ricardo Oliveira, Aya Umemura
Hopes Team Follow-Up
Wed 23rd – Sun 27th Nov: Hopes team comprising 4
boys & 4 girls from Colombia, England, France, Hungary,
Iran, India, Puerto Rico and Romania joined the Road to
Tunis Preparation Camp
Wed 14th – Fri 16th Dec: European Table Tennis Union Women’s
Coaching Seminar, Senec, Slovakia
Experts: Eva Jeler, Jaroslaw Kolodziejczyk
Other Continental Activities
European Table Tennis Union Assistance Programme in Denmark,
Road to Tunis Preparation Camp Series – Stop 2 – Tunis
Tue 29th – Fri 2nd Dec: Preparation for ITTF World Youth
Championships in Tunis comprising players from Australia, China,
India, Nigeria, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico and United States
ITTF Umpires & Referees
Jersey, Montenegro
Sat 12th – Tue 15th Nov: West Asia Basic Referee Course in
Sun 9th – Sun 16th Oct: Eurotalents Development Camp Under 15 &
Jezzine, Lebanon
Under 19 in Havirov, Czech Republic
Expert: Said Lanasri / Participants: 14 attendees from 7 Member
Coaches: Marek Cihak, Liu Yanjun, Josef Plachy, Renata Stribkova
Associations
Sun 16th – Sun 23rd Oct: Eurotalents Final Selection Camp in
Otocec, Slovenia
Coaches: Jaroslaw Kolodziejczyk, Vesna Ojstersek, Andreja
Ojstersek-Urh
Sat 22nd – Sat 29th Oct: Eurotalents Development Camp Under 13 in
Nantes, France
Coaches: Clemence Boutefeu, Stéphane Hucliez, Guillaume Simonin
Thu 13th – Sun 16th Oct: International Referee School,
Helsinki, Finland
Sun 13th – Sun 20th Nov: International Training Camp Under 13 in
Experts: Petr Bohumsky, Michael Zwipp / Candidates: 8 men, 3 women /
Havirov, Czech Republic
Qualified: 6 men, 2 women from 7 member associations
Coaches: Marek Cihak, Josef Plachy, Renata Stribkova
Fri 18th – Mon 21st Nov: International Referee School, Singapore
Mon 12th – Sat 17th Dec: Para Eurotalents Under 23 Training Camp in
Experts: Ronald Wee, Michael Zwipp / Candidates 6 men, 5 women /
Lignano, Italy
Qualified: 4 men, 3 women from 5 member associations
Coaches: Alessandro Arcigli, José Luis Machado, Nikica Vukelja
Tue 15th – Thu 17th Dec: South-East Asia Competition
Mon 24th – Sun 30th Oct: Advanced Umpire Training, Advanced Rules
Managers Seminar, Bangkok
Wed 14th – Fri 16th Dec: Basic Umpire Refresher Course, Papua
Examination & Blue Badge Evaluation at WTT Youth Contender
Expert: Mohamed El-Dawlatly / Participants: 18 from 9 member
New Guinea
Cairo, Egypt
associations
Expert: Stephen Gillespie
Experts: Cyril Sen, Norman Tang / Participants: 8 (Advanced Umpire
High Performance
Training), 12 (Advanced Rules Examination) in total from 8 member
associations
Mon 31st Oct – Sun 6th Nov: Advanced Umpire Training, Advanced
Rules Examination & Blue Badge Evaluation, Santiago, Chile
Experts: Christian David, Leonor Demario / 12 participants (Advanced
Umpire Training), 17 (Advanced Rules Examination) in total from 4
“My Gender. My Strength.” Programme
Received 33 applications, 17 applications selected: Argentina,
Barbados, Burundi, Congo-Brazzaville, Cuba, Eswatini,
Honduras, Iran, Kenya, Lebanon, Maldives, Mexico, Nigeria,
Palau, Sri Lanka, Tonga, Tunisia
Continental Youth Grants
Received 90 applications, 37 beneficiaries were selected from 16
member associations in Africa, Americas, Asia and Oceania. Also,
ITTF funded, a further 12 grants were awarded to European
athletes under the ETTU Scholarship programme.
Fri 18th – Wed 23rd Nov: South America ITTF Level 2 Coaching
Course in Asuncion, Paraguay
Expert: Francisco Seijas / Participants: 18 participants from 7
Road to Tunis Preparation Camp Series: Stop 1
Thu 17th – Sun 27th Nov: Preparation for ITTF World Youth
Championships in Vila Nova De Gaia.
Coaches: Eva Jeler, Ricardo Oliveira, Francisco Santos / Expert: Florence
Schelling (anti-doping)
Players: 30 juniors from Australia, India, Nigeria, Peru, Portugal, Puerto
member associations
Fri 16th – Wed 21st Dec: Advanced Umpire Training, Advanced Rules
Examination & Blue Badge Evaluation at the United States Open,
Ontario, California
Experts: Katja Brand, Paul Schiltz
member associations
Rico and United States plus senior players from Argentina, Philippines
and Portugal
82-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 83

SWAYTHLING CLUB
First Venture
Claude Bergeret alongside veteran players in Lima
The Videna Legado Sportscenter
The splendid venue in Lima
A
first venture, the inaugural
Pan American Veteran
Championships, staged in
the Peruvian capital city of Lima
from Monday 21st to Saturday 26th
November, proved a most popular
addition to the international calendar,
the splendid Polideportivo 3 de la Sede
Legado Videna provided an ideal venue.
Over 270 players from 16 ITTF
member associations participated in
an extensive schedule that comprised
no less than 25 events ranging from
age groups starting at 35 years to 80
years and over. Notably, Chile entered
some 90 players, for Peru, the number
reached the 100 mark.
Present to witness the action was
Claude Bergeret, President of the
Swaythling Club International.
“Everything went fine when talking
about the welcome at the airport and
at the hotel situated in the middle of
the business area of the city, the Banks
area”, said Claude Bergeret. “The venue
was located in a big sports centre with
other large halls and a swimming pool,
very good, a total of 18 tables, practice
hall and all the necessary facilities; it
might have been better if in the venue
there had been easy access to a café
or similar for a quick drink but overall
congratulations, no complaints.”
Most certainly the venue when full
of action was a splendid sight; also,
in South America there is a growing
number of experienced officials. Notably
at the recent Andalucia 2022 World Para
Championships held in the Spanish city
of Granada, Uruguay’s Fernando Moleda
was a member of the referee team.
“Everything ran smoothly, the
organisation was very good; they
started with individual events and then
progressed to team events; the players
and umpires marched into the arena at
the beginning of every session, that was
good to see”, added Claude Bergeret.
“The atmosphere was really very good;
as always in veteran tournaments,
players had known each other for a long
time, it was old friends meeting.”
Crossing the Atlantic, it was a long
journey for Claude Bergeret, for Jorge
Herrera, responsible for ITTF Americas
Member Relations, from Guatemala, the
distance was somewhat nearer; both
were very much of one accord.
“The first Pan American Masters
was a true celebration, we had the
participation of very high-level players,
many of them former national team
members and even former Olympians”,
reflected Jorge Herrera. “ITTF Americas
and the Peruvian Federation provided
the level that a Pan American event
requires in terms of organisation; there
were exciting matches fighting for
Pan American glory, but at the same
time, the atmosphere of friendship and
camaraderie that unites the American
table tennis family was felt.”
Likewise, Marisol Espineira, President
of the Peruvian Table Tennis Federation
and Tournament Director, was most
positive.
“For us as a federation it has been
an honour to organise the event. We
believe that the organisation of the
event was up to the task, like all the
other events that Peru has organised
at the Legado facilities, the 2019 Pan
American Games left a great legacy”,
said Marisol Espineira. “Our commitment
as a federation is to try to host several
events a year so that our players can
participate in these championships as
part of their development.”
Having hosted the table tennis events
at the quadrennial 2019 Pan American
Games and now at the 2022 Pan
American Veteran Championships, the
Peruvian capital city of Lima is very
much a destination for major events.
“During this Pan American, the feeling
of everyone was very positive, that is a
great satisfaction for us. Many athletes
came to extend their congratulations
for the event and for the arena, how
spectacular it was to play”, added
Marisol Espineira. “We hope that these
tournaments will continue to take
place in our country for the sake of
the development of Peruvian table
tennis; I thank all my team, the press,
technical assistance, the administrative
area, Legado for the usual support,
the Peruvian Olympic Committee, our
sponsor Donic, Socosani and ITTF
Americas for their trust and support.”
Table tennis for all, for life, rang true.
The Player’s View
Ecuador’s Geovanny Coello
won men’s singles 40-44
years; he gave his views.
It was my first official
master’s tournament and
the first Pan American
masters ever organised by
ITTF Americas, so naturally I
am very happy to have won
gold in Lima.
I was quite confident
because I had practised
really hard for the past
three weeks. As the rounds
progressed the level of the
play was higher, especially
the Chileans and Colombians
who have many active
master players. They have
been training and competing
together for 10 years.
Above all, I prepared myself
physically since I knew that
the tournament would last
a week. It is difficult to find
a training partner who has
a good level where I live in
Quito. Now because of work
there is less time to train
but the desire to play table
tennis is the same or more
than before.
The playing conditions
were excellent, the stage,
the floor, the lights, the
professional tables, the
balls, the umpires, no
complaints. Everything was
top notch. There was even
a physiotherapy service for
athletes. The only thing that
we discussed with Jorge
Herrera was to try to deliver
a more accessible hospitality
package to all players for
the next edition. I am sure
that will be achieved by ITTF
Americas.
Also, the organisation
with Fernando Moleda,
Miguel Fernandez and
Marisol Espineira in charge
was outstanding. Like all
official events, matters
were conducted punctually,
the publication of results
and the live broadcast
on the social networks of
the Peruvian Table Tennis
Federation was excellent.
Many players who have
not competed in official
tournaments realised
that the regulations and
standards for the masters
are the same as for all open
international tournaments;
that makes these
tournaments increasingly
attractive for players in the
veteran age category.
Geovanny Coello men’s singles 40-44 years winner
The splendid venue in Lima
Marisol Espinera organising a medal ceremony
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HITTING THE HEADLINES
maximum possible three titles at the ITTF
Brazilian Para Open in São Paulo. On the
opening day of play she won women’s
singles class 4-5. On the concluding day,
in both events partnering colleagues and
competing in class 10, she added the
Sun 2nd Oct: Flavien Coton
Flavien Coton delighted home supporters
by winning the under 15 boys’ event at
the Europe Youth Top 10 staged in Tours,
France. Croatia’s Hana Arapovic secured
the under 19 girls’ title, but it was Romania
who enjoyed the greatest success. Iulian
Chirita concluded play the under 19 boys’
champion, Bianca Mei Rosu claimed under
15 girls’ singles gold.
Sun 2nd Oct: Alexa Svitacs
Hungary’s Alexa Svitacs, alongside
Alexandra Saint-Pierre of France, emerged
the most successful players at the ITTF
Para Greek Open in Argostoli. Both ended
proceedings with a maximum three titles.
Alexa Svitacs won women’s singles class
9-10. Later she partnered Romania’s
Ioana-Monica Tepelea to women’s doubles
class 20 gold and colleague Andras
Csonka, to mixed doubles class 17 first
place. Likewise, Alexandra Saint-Pierre,
after prevailing in women’s singles class
3-5, succeeded with colleagues; on both
occasions in class 10, in the women’s
doubles with Flora Vautier, in the mixed in
harness with Sylvain Noel.
Tue 4th Oct: Lee Daeun
At the WTT Youth Contender Podgorica
tournament, emulating Kwon Hyuk,
colleague Lee Daeun secured the under 19
girls’ title, one day earlier she had emerged
the under 17 girls’ singles winner.
Sun 9th Oct: Feng Yi-Hsin
Chinese Taipei’s Feng Yi-Hsin won
the under 19 boys’ singles title at the
WTT Youth Star Contender Podgorica
tournament, the counterpart girls’ singles
crown was donned by Tsai Yun-En. Also
from Chinese Taipei, Yeh Yi-Tian emerged
the under 15 girls singles winner, Flavian
Coton of France the under 15 boys’ singles
champion.
women’s doubles with Thais Severo, the
mixed alongside Lucas Arabian
Fri 14th Oct: Dina Meshref
Egypt’s Dina Meshref was named in the “30
under 30 list”, issued recently by Forbes
Middle East.
Fri 14th Oct: Daniela Ortega
Daniela Ortega departed the South
American Games in Asuncion, Paraguay,
with three titles to her name. She partnered
Paulina Vega to women’s doubles success,
Gustavo Gomez to the mixed doubles
top prize, before with Judith Morales and
Paulina Vega guiding Chile to women’s
team gold. Santiago Lorenzo won the
men’s singles title, later he combined with
Gaston Alto and Horacio Cifuentes, the
men’s doubles winners, to secure men’s
team gold. Brazil’s Caroline Kumahara won
the women’s singles title.
Fri 21st Oct: Bernadette Szocs
Also, in form in the women’s singles
event in Macao was Romania’s Bernadette
Szocs; she recorded a second round win
in opposition to China’s Chen Meng, gold
medallist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic
Games. One round later she was beaten by
Japan’s Mima Ito. Short-lived euphoria, it
was the same for Mima Ito; at the semifinal
she experienced defeat in opposition
to Chen Xingtong.
Wed 26th Oct: Sarvinoz Mirkadirova
Kazakhstan’s Sarvinoz Mirkadirova
impressed at the WTT Youth Contender
Cairo tournament. She emerged the
under 19 girls’ singles runner up, beaten
at the final hurdle by Egypt’s Hana Goda.
The previous day she had accounted for
Germany’s Josephina Neumann, to claim
the under 17 girls’ singles title.
Sun 30th Oct: Sun Yingsha
Sun Yingsha won the women’s singles
title at the WTT Cup Finals Xinxiang 2022
presented by China Construction Bank
and thus repeated the success enjoyed
the previous week in Macao; soon after,
in the men’s event, Wang Chuqin followed
suit. At the final hurdle Sun Yingsha beat
Chen Meng, having one round earlier
ousted Wang Yidi. Wang Chuqin recorded
a semi-final success against Ma Long prior
to securing the title at the expense of
Tomokazu Harimoto.
Thu 20th Oct: Yuan Jia Nan
Yuan Jia Nan of France caused a major
first round women’s singles upset at the
Tue 4th Oct: Kwon Hyuk
Korea Republic’s Kwon Hyuk departed
Montenegro with two titles to his name;
at the WTT Youth Contender Podgorica
tournament he won the under 15 boys’
singles having the previous day emerged
the under 17 boys’ singles winner.
Sun 9th Oct: Joyce Oliveira
The host nation’s Joyce Oliveira claimed a
Fri 14th Oct: Edwin Tong & Poh Li San
Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture,
Community and Youth, alongside Poh Li
San, President of the Singapore Table
Tennis Association, were present at a
fund-raising golf tournament held at the
Orchid Country Club. The event raised over
$399,888.
WTT Champions Macao 2022 tournament;
she accounted for China’s Wang Manyu,
the reigning World champion. Later she
overcame Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szu-Yu
and Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa to reach the
penultimate round where Sun Yingsha
ended progress. At the final hurdle Sun
Yingsha beat Chinese national team
colleague, Chen Xingtong.
Sun 23rd Oct: Wang Chuqin
Wang Chuqin beat Fan Zhendong to secure
the men’s singles title at the WTT Champions
Macao 2022; the previous day he had
beaten Chinese national team colleague,
Ma Long, prior to ousting Sweden’s Truls
Moregard. In the counterpart semi-final,
Fan Zhendong had ended the hopes of
Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju.
Sun 30th Oct: Matthew Kuti
Nigeria’s Matthew Kuti concluded matters
the most successful player on duty at the
WTT Youth Contender Cairo tournament;
he won both the under 13 and under 11
boys’ singles titles.
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HITTING THE HEADLINES
Sun 20th Nov: Alan Kurmangaliyev
Kazakhstan’s Alan Kurmangaliyev was very
much a player to note at the WTT Youth
Contender Jezzine tournament. He reached
Sat 5th Nov: Hiroto Shinozuka
It was a most worthwhile journey to the
WTT Contender Novo Gorcia tournament in
Slovenia for Hiroto Shinozuka, he won the
men’s singles title having earlier reserved
the top step of the men’s doubles podium
partnering Shunsuke Togami.
Wed 9th Nov: Chang Yu-An
Chinese Taipei’s Chang Yu-An attracted
the attention at the WTT Youth Contender
Szombathely tournament; he reached the
final of the under 19 boys’ singles, losing
to Romania’s Eduard Ionescu, having the
previous day secured the under 17 boys’
singles title.
Sun 13th Nov: Enrique Rios
Flying the flag for Puerto Rico, Enrique Rios
won the under 13 boys’ singles title at the
WTT Youth Contender Senec tournament.
the under 19 boys’ singles semi-final, losing
to the champion elect, Wong Qi Shen,
having the previous day emerged the under
17 boys’ singles winner. Later in the month
in Vila Nova de Gaia, he won the under 15
boys’ singles title.
Tue 1st Nov: Hana Goda
Egypt’s Hana Goda departed the winner
of both the under 19 and under 17 girls’
singles titles at the WTT Youth Contender
Lignano tournament.
Sat 5th Nov: Payas Jain
Runner up earlier in the year in Amman,
India’s Payas Jain won the under 19 boys’
singles title in Lignano.
Sun 6th Nov: Hugo Calderano
After leading Brazil to men’s team gold,
Hugo Calderano won the men’s singles
title at the Pan American Championships
in Santiago. The only titles to elude Brazil
were the women’s singles won by Puerto
Rico’s Adriana Diaz and the men’s doubles
secured by Gaston Alto and Horacio
Cifuentes.
Wed 9th Nov Kaho Akae
A semi-finalist in Szombathely, four days
later Japan’s Kaho Akae won the under
19 girls’ singles title at the WTT Youth
Contender Senec tournament in Slovakia.
Wed 16th Nov: Mak Ming Shum
Hong Kong’s Mak Ming Shum was very
much the player to note at the WTT Youth
Contender Jezzine tournament in Lebanon;
she won both the under 13 and under 15
girls’ singles titles.
Fri 25th Nov: Dimitrij Ovtcharov
The host nation’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov
prevailed in the men’s singles event at the
WTT Feeder Düsseldorf III tournament;
colleague Shan Xiaona secured the
counterpart women’s title. Poland’s Maciej
Kubik and Samuel Kulczycki won the men’s
doubles, the women’s doubles went in
favour of Chinese Taipei’s Liu Hsing-Yin
and Huang Yu-Wen. Korea Republic’s Cho
Daeseong and Lee Zion claimed mixed
doubles gold.
Sat 19th Nov: Tomokazu Harimoto
Fri 4th Nov: Sally Moyland
Impressively, Sally Moyland of the United
States staved off Asian and European
opposition to win the under 17 girls’
singles event at the WTT Youth Contender
Szombathely tournament in Hungary.
Sat 5th Nov: Shin Yubin
Following mixed doubles success partnering
Korea Republic colleague Lim Jonghoon,
Shin Yubin won the women’s singles
title at the WTT Contender Novo Gorcia
tournament in Slovenia.
Sun 6th Nov: Diccon Gray
At the Ifo Veteran tournament in
Gothenburg it was success for England’s
Diccon Gray, he won men’s singles 60 years
and partnered Christer Wärngren to men’s
doubles 60-65 years gold.
Fri 11th Nov: Kim Gitae
Korea Republic’s Kim Gitae won men’s
singles class 11 at the Andalucia 2022
World Para Championships in Granada and
thus emerged the only player to complete
a clean sweep of titles. Earlier, competing
in class 22, he had partnered Seo Yanghee
to mixed doubles gold, Jeoung Kyuyoung to
men’s doubles success.
Continuing recent good form, Japan’s
Tomokazu Harimoto won the men’s event
at the Asian Cup in Bangkok; at the final
hurdle he overcame Korea Republic’s Lim
Jonghoon, the surprise quarter-final winner
in opposition to China’s Wang Chuqin.
Disappointment for China but there was
success; Wang Yidi accounted for Mima Ito
to secure women’s gold.
Fri 25th Nov: Prithika Pavade
Prithika Pavade of France departed the WTT
Youth Star Contender Vila Nova de Gaia
tournament, with two titles to her name; in
the under 19 age group she won the girls’
singles event before partnering Felix Lebrun
to mixed doubles success.
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HITTING THE HEADLINES
women’s singles title at the Pacific Cup;
Papua New Guinea’s Geoffrey Loi emerged
the men’s singles winner. The tournament
is open to the smaller associations within
the continent, Australia and New Zealand
not being eligible.
Fri 25th Nov: Pablo Alvarez
Sat 26th November:
Alfred Bagueka Assobo
A unanimous vote, Alfred Bagueka Assobo
was elected President of the Cameroon
Table Tennis Federation.
In May 2007, winner of men’s singles
class 9 at the Spanish National Para
Championships, Pablo Alvarez was named
as a member of the European Space Agency
astronaut team.
Sun 27th Nov: Zoran Primorac
Twice winner of the Men’s World Cup, Zoran
Primorac was elected President of the
Croatian Table Tennis Association.
Fri 9th Dec:
Ruta Garkauskaite-Paskauskiene
Staged at the Novotel Vilnius Center
restaurant, at the celebrations to mark the
95th anniversary of the Lithuanian Table
Tennis Association, Ruta Garkauskaite-
Paskauskiene announced her retirement
from international play. A notable guest was
Virgilijus Alekna, a former Lithuanian discus
thrower and a politician. He won gold at
the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, bronze
in 2009.
Sat 10th Dec: Singapore
The three-day National Youth Top 10
tournament concluded, marking 25 years
of partnership with the Char Yong (Dabu)
Association. Events for boys and girls were
held in four age groups – under 9, under
12, under 15, under 19.
Wed 14th Dec: Karen Tonge
Chair of British Para Table Tennis, Karen
Tonge, in 2009 the recipient of the MBE
(Member of the British Empire), was
presented the OBE (Order of the British
Empire) by Anne, the Princess Royal, at
Windsor Castle. “To be in the platinum
honours list for the birthday, that part was
just amazing, subsequently the queen
died, it was the last honours before she
died; to get an honour once is amazing
but twice is remarkable. It’s special,” said
Karen Tonge.
Reflecting on her conversation with the
Princess Royal; Karen Tonge reminisced.
“She apologised that it was her again
because she presented me with the MBE; I
said: ‘No it’s special it’s you ma’am. You’re
an IOC member and you do such a lot for
sport’.”
Fri 16th Dec: Steven Roman
The host nation’s Steven Roman completed
a clean sweep of titles at the ITTF Copa
Costa Rica; he won men’s singles class
8, before in class 14 securing the men’s
doubles title partnering Domingo Arguello
and the mixed alongside Aneth Araya.
Sun 18th Dec: Nicholas Lum
Staged in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea,
Australia’s Nicholas Lum won the men’s
singles event at the ITTF-Oceania Cup; the
counterpart women’s title was secured by
compatriot Minhyung Jee.
Sat 24th Sep: Mak Ming Shum
Mak Ming Shum won the under 13 girls’
singles title at WTT Youth Contender Tbilisi
tournament and thus set Hong Kong on
a winning streak. Immediately following
Wong Hoi Tung secured under 17 girls’
singles gold, the next day Kong Tsz Lam
reserved the top step in the under 19 girls’
singles event.
Wed 21st Dec: Kou Lei
Ukraine’s won the men’s singles title at the
United States Open in Ontario, California,
having earlier partnered the host nation’s
Ye Tian to men’s doubles gold. Likewise,
there were two titles for Amy Wang; she
partnered Nikhil Kumar to mixed doubles
success, before emerging the women’s
singles winner. The women’s doubles was
won by Rachel Sung and Lily Zhang
Wed 14th Dec: Satoshi Aida
Listed at no.575 on the Table Tennis
Men’s World Rankings, Japan’s Satoshi
Aida emerged the shock winner of the
men’s singles event at the WTT Feeder
Sun 27th Nov: Felix Lebrun
A clean sweep, Felix Lebrun of France
completed his exploits at the WTT Youth Star
Contender Vila Nova de Gaia tournament
with three titles to his name. In the under
19 age group, additional to winning the
mixed doubles title, partnering Prithika
Pavade, he emerged the boys’ singles and
partnering Thibaut Poret, the boys’ doubles
winner.
Fri 2nd Dec: Alan Hydes
Barnsley heritage mounted a plaque on the
wall of the local YMCA in recognition of Alan
Hydes starting his career in the town in the
early 1960s, later he was a member of the
England team that visited China following
the conclusion of the Nagoya 1971 World
Championships.
Sun 12th Dec: Lin Shidong
A full house of titles in the under 19 age
group, China’s Lin Shidong emerged the
most successful player at the ITTF World
Youth Championships staged in Tunis, in
the under 15 events, also from China Yan
Yutong won gold in every event in which
she competed, girls’ singles, girls’ team
and girls’ doubles.
Fort Lauderdale tournament. A first WTT
title for Satoshi Aida it was the same in
the women’s singles won by the host
nation’s Amy Wang. Slovakia’s Lubomir
Pistej and Barbora Balazova emerged the
most successful players, they joined forces
to win the mixed doubles. Later Lubomir
Pistej partnered Jakub Zelinka to men’s
doubles gold, Barbora Balazova joined
forces with the host nation’s Lily Zhang to
secure the women’s doubles top prize.
Sun 18th Dec: Grace Rosi Yee
Organised alongside the ITTF-Oceania
Cup, Fiji’s Grace Rosi Yee claimed the
Thu 22nd Dec
A member of Germany’s silver medal
women’s team at the Rio 2016 Olympic
Games, Petrissa Solja announced her
retirement from professional play.
90-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 91

WE REMEMBER
Maha Al-Bargouthi (1962-2022)
Five consecutive appearances in the
Paralympic Games commencing in 2000,
the year in which she won the women’s
singles class 1-2 title, Maha Al-Bargouthi
passed away on Wednesday 7th December,
she was 60 years old. To this date she
remains the only player from Jordan to
win gold in the table tennis events at the
quadrennial gathering. Additionally, in both
2004 and 2008 she was a women’s team
class 4-5 bronze medallist. Competing in
women’s singles class 1-2, at the 1990
World Championships she secured silver, at
the 2003 Africa/Middle East Championships,
gold. She was voted Jordan’s top
sportsperson in 2002.
Christos Christodoulatos
(1934-2022)
President of the Hellenic Table Tennis
Federation from 1982 to 2008, Christos
Christodoulatos died on Tuesday 15th
November; born in 1934 in Thessaloniki,
he was 88 years old. A lawyer, graduating
at Athens Law School, the city in which he
made his home, the table tennis career
commenced in 1949. Pen-hold grip,
between 1960 and 1980 he made over 650
appearances for Greece, winning 25 national
titles. Amongst several honorary positions,
he became Vice President of the European
Table Tennis Union from 1992 to 1996 and
a member of the ITTF Council (nowadays
Board of Directors) from 1995 to 1997.
Jacques Hélaine (1941-2022)
Former President of the French Table Tennis
Federation, Jacques Hélaine passed away
on Wednesday 19th October; he was 81
years old. He competed in both World and
European Championships; at the French
National Championships he was the men’s
singles runner up in both 1964 and 1971,
the men’s doubles winner partnering Vincent
Purkart in 1964, 1965 and 1969, as well as
alongside Jacques Gambier in 1966. Later
in 1980, he was elected to the management
committee of the French Table Tennis
Federation.
Irena Bosa-Mikocziova
(1945-2022)
Five times Czechoslovakian champion,
Irena Bosa-Mikocziova died on Sunday 18th
September. Born on Friday 19th January
1945 in Galanta, Slovakia, she was 77
years old. She won the girls’ singles title
at the 1959 World Youth Festival, before
partnering Vilim Polakovic and Rotislav
Stepanek respectively, to mixed doubles
gold at the 1961 and 1962 European
Youth Championships. Additional to World
Championships, she played in three
European Championships, winning women’s
team bronze on each occasion; in 1966 she
partnered Marta Luzova to women’s doubles
silver. In 2007, she suffered a stroke,
entering a nursing home in 2009, to receive
24-hour care.
Paul Gimbel (1941-2022)
A member of the Swaythling Club
International, Paul Gimbel passed away
on Sunday 18th September; he was 81
years old. At the Stockholm 1957 World
Championships, he reached last 32 of the
men’s singles event; the year in which at
the Netherlands National Championships
he won both the junior boys’ and men’s
singles titles. Additional to table tennis he
was one of the first rock and roll artists in
the Netherlands; his recording “Clap your
hands and twist” can be found on YouTube.
Regarded as a somewhat rebellious
character in the 1960s, later he turned his
attention to the financial world.
Milivoj Karakasevic (1948-2022)
Born on Friday 30th July in Belgrade,
Milivoj Karakasevic died on Saturday
26th March. A right-handed pen hold grip
player. He was a member of the Yugoslav
men’s team that won bronze at the 1971
World Championships, silver four years
later in 1975. Similarly, at the European
Championships, he won men’s team gold
in 1976, silver in 1970 and 1972, bronze
in 1974 and 1982; additionally, in 1978 he
secured men’s doubles bronze partnering
Zoran Kosanovic.
Alex Thackaberry (1928-2023)
An outstanding servant of Table Tennis
Ireland, Alex Thackaberry passed away on
Sunday 1st January. He began a period of 35
years of service to the sport at management
level in 1976. He served the Association
as Treasurer for 10 years, followed by a
period of 15 years as Chair. In 2001 he was
elected President. He resigned in 2011 being
appointed Deputy Life President. He played
a major role in the organisation of the 1992
World Veteran Championships in Dublin.
92-ITTF Magazine
ITTF Magazine- 93

RESULTS
Podium Places
October – December 2022
Europe Youth Top 10, Tours, France
Fri 30th Sep – Sun 2nd Oct
U19BS W: Iulian Chirita (ROU) RU: Andrea Puppo (ITA)
U19GS W: Hana Arapovic (CRO) RU: Elena Zaharia (ROU)
U15BS W: Flavien Coton (FRA) RU: Nathan Lam (FRA)
U15GS W: Bianca Mei Rosu (ROU) RU: Leana Hochart (FRA)
World Team Championships, Chengdu
Fri 30th Sep – Sun 9th Oct
MT W: China (Fan Zhendong, Liang Jingkun, Lin Gaoyuan, Ma Long, Wang Chuqin)
RU: Germany (Benedikt Duda, Meng Fanbo, Dang Qiu, Kay Stumper, Ricardo
Walther)
WT W: China (Chen Meng, Chen Xingtong, Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu, Wang Yidi)
RU: Japan (Hina Hayata, Miyuu Kihara, Mima Ito, Miyu Nagasaki, Hitomi Sato)
ITTF Fa20 Greek Para Open, Argostoli
Fri 30th Sep – Sun 2nd Oct
MS1 W: Endre Major (HUN) RU: Park Sungjoo (KOR)
MS2 W: Martin Zvolanek (CZE) RU: Jan Riapos (SVK)
MS3 W: Sylvain Noel (FRA) RU: François Geuljans (FRA)
MS4 W: Emeric Martin (FRA) RU: Peter Mihalik (SVK)
MS5 W: Jack Hunter-Spivey (GBR) RU: Bart Brands (BEL)
MS6 W: Matteo Parenzan (ITA) RU: Martin Perry (GBR)
MS7 W: Björn Schnake (GER) RU: Paulo Fonseca (BRA)
MS8 W: Billy Shilton (GBR) RU: Aaron McKibbin (GBR)
MS9 W: Josh Stacey (GBR) RU: David Pulpan (CZE)
MS10 W: David Jacobs (INA) RU: Komet Akbar (INA)
WS3-5 W: Alexandra Saint-Pierre (FRA) RU: Megan Shackleton (GBR)
WS 6-7 W: Fliss Pickard (GBR) RU: Valentina Marcheva (BUL)
WS 8 W: Lucie Hautière (FRA) RU: Suwarti Suwarti (INA)
WS 9-10 W: Alexa Svitacs (HUN) RU: Ioana-Monica Tepelea (ROU)
MD4 W: Martin Ludrovsky/Jan Riapos (SVK) RU: Park Sungjoo/Yosep Sefrianto (KOR/INA)
MD8 W: Adyos Astan/Yayang Gunaya (INA) RU: Peter Mihalik/Boris Travnicek (SVK)
MD14 W: Martin Perry/Billy Shilton (GBR) RU: Clément Berthier/Esteban Herrault (FRA)
MD18 W: Manuel Echaveguren/Borna Zohil (CHI/CRO) RU: Andras Csonka/Alexander
Diakoumakos (HUN/GRE)
WD10 W: Alexandra Saint-Pierre/Flora Vautier (FRA) RU: Sue Bailey/Megan
Shackleton
(GBR)
WD14 W: Zsofia Arloy/Camelia Ciripan (HUN/ROU) RU: Felicity Pickard/Grace
Williams (GBR)
WD20 W: Alexa Svitacs/Ioana-Monica Tepelea (HUN/ROU) WD: Shella Radayana/
Hana Resti (INA)
XD4 W: Martin Zvolanek/Allegra Magenta (CZE/ITA) RU: Christos Fragkos/Evanthia
Bournia (GRE)
XD7 W: François Geuljans/Flora Vautier (FRA) RU: Yosep Sefrianto/Tarsilem Tarsilem (INA)
XD10 W: Sylvain Noel/Alexandra Saint-Pierre (FRA) RU: Jack Hunter-Spivey/Sue
Bailey (GBR)
XD14 W: Billy Shilton/Felicity Pickard (GBR) RU: Matteo Parenzan/Lucie Hautière
(ITA/FRA)
XD17 W: Andras Csonka/Alexa Svitacs (HUN) RU: Ben Despineux/Ioana-Monica
Tepelea (BEL/ROU)
XD 20 W: Komet Akbar/Shella Radayana (INA) RU: David Jacobs/Hana Rest (INA)
WTT Youth Contender Podgorica, Montenegro
Sun 2nd – Tue 4th Oct
U19BS W: Kao Cheng-Jul (TPE) RU: Lin Yen-Chun (TPE)
U19GS W: Lee Daeun (KOR) RU: Park Gahyeon (KOR)
U17BS W: Kwon Hyuk (KOR) RU: Daniel Berzosa (ESP)
U17GS W: Lee Daeun (KOR) RU: Yeh Yi-Tian (TPE)
U15BS W: Kwon Hyuk (KOR) RU: Hung Jing-Kai (TPE)
U15GS W: Wu Ying-Syuan (TPE) RU: Lin Hsin-Tung (TPE)
U13BS W: Steven Moreno (PUR) RU: Yousif Abdalla (QAT)
U13GS W: Wu Ying-Syuan (TPE) RU: Johanna Petery (HUN)
U11BS W: Abdulrahman Al-Taher (KSA) RU: Peadar Sheridan (IRL)
U11GS W: Amelie Jia (GER) RU: Lara Franeta (MNE)
WTT Youth Star Contender Podgorica, Montenegro
Wed 5th – Sun 9th Oct
U19BS W: Feng Yi-Hsin (TPE) RU: Hugo Deschamps (FRA)
U19GS W: Tsai Yun-En (TPE) RU: Park Gahyeon (KOR)
U19BD W: Hugo Deschamps/Borna Petek (FRA/CRO) RU: Lin Yen-Chun/Wang
Chen-You (TPE)
U19GD W: Sophie Earley/Anna Hursey (IRL/WAL) RU: Huang Ching-Chia/Yeh Yi-
Tian (TPE)
U19XD W: Borna Petek/Natalia Bogdanowicz (CRO/POL) RU: Kao Cheng-Jui/Yeh
Yi-Tian (TPE)
U15BS W: Flavien Coton (FRA) RU: Hung Jing-Kai (TPE)
U15GS W: Yeh Yi-Tian (TPE) RU: Park Gahyeon (KOR)
U15BD W: Ryuusei Kawakami/Tamito Watanabe (JPN) RU: Kwon Hyuk/Lee Jungmok
(KOR)
U15GD W: Choi Nahyun/Park Gahyeon (KOR) RU: Wang Yu-Jie/Wu Ying-Syuan (TPE)
U15XD W: Jaksa Krivokapic/Kristina Sebek (MNE) RU: Santiago Uribe/Bissan Chiri
(PER/LBN)
ITTF Brazilian Para Open, São Paulo, Brazil
Fri 7th – Sun 9th Oct
MS1-2 W: Guilherme Marcio da Costa (BRA) RU: Iranildo Espindola (BRA)
MS3 W: Gabriel Copola (ARG) RU: Fabio Silva (BRA)
MS4 W: Cristian Gonzalez (CHI) RU: Eziquiel Babes (BRA)
MS5 W: Lucas Arabian (BRA) RU: Elias Romero (ARG)
MS6 W: Ignacio Torres (CHI) RU: Esteban Herrault (FRA)
MS7 W: Israel Stroh (BRA) RU: José Vargas (COL)
MS8 W: Luiz Manara (BRA) RU: Alejandro Perez (ARG)
MS9 W: Lucas Carvalho (BRA) RU: Ramon Silva (BRA)
MS10 W: Gabriel Antunes (BRA) RU: Claudio Massad (BRA)
MS11 W: Thiago Gomes (BRA) RU: Lucas Hansen (BRA)
WS2-3 W: Catia Oliveira (BRA) RU: Marliane Santos (BRA)
WS4-5 W: Joyce Oliveira (BRA) RU: Nayla Kuell (ARG)
WS7-8 W: Sophia Kelmer (BRA) RU: Florencia Perez (CHI)
WS9-10 W: Bruna Alexandre (BRA) RU: Danielle Rauen (BRA)
MD8 W: Gabriel Copola/Elias Romero (ARG) RU: Lucas Arabian/Fabio Silva (BRA) U15BS W: Enrique Rios (PUR) RU: Balamurugan Rajasekaran (IND)
MD14 W: Israel Stroh/Paulo Salmin (BRA) RU: Aleksey Kaniuka/Matias Pino (ARG/CHI) U15GS W: Hend Zaza (SYR) RU: Habiba El-Basoumy (EGY)
MD18 W: Lucas Carvalho/Ramon da Silva (BRA) RU: Claudio Massad/Luiz Manara (BRA) U13BS W: Matthew Kuti (NGR) RU: Steven Moreno (PUR)
U13GS W: Avisha Karmakar (IND) RU: Pratha Pawar (IND)
WD10 W: Thais Fraga/Joyce Oliveira (BRA) RU: Marliane Santos/Catia Oliveira (BRA) U11BS W: Matthew Kuti (NGR) RU: Vivaan Dave (IND)
WD20 W: Jennyfer Parinos/Danielle Rauen (BRA) RU: Sophia Kelmer/Allana Maschio (BRA) U11GS W: Ankolika Chakraborty (IND) RU: Krisha Patel (IND)
XD7 W: Eziquiel Babes/Thais Severo (BRA) RU: Luis Valencia/Manuela Guapi (COL) WTT Cup Finals Xinxiang, China
XD10 W: Lucas Arabian/Joyce Oliveira (BRA) RU: Gabriel Copola/Nayla Kuell (ARG) Thu 27th – Sun 30th Oct
XD17 W: Paulo Salmin/Bruna Alexandre (BRA) RU: Lucas Carvalho/Sophia Kelmer (BRA)
XD20 W: Gabriel Antunes/Allana Maschio (BRA) RU: Melvin Muñoz/Lucie Hautière MS W: Wang Chuqin (CHN) RU: Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN)
(ESA/FRA)
WS W: Sun Yingsha (CHN) RU: Chen Meng (CHN)
South American Games (ODESUR), Asuncion, Paraguay
ITTF Oceania Polynesia Championships, Papeete
Sun 9th – Fri 14th Oct
Sat 29th – Sun 30th Oct
MT W: Argentina (Gaston Alto, Horacio Cifuentes, Santiago Lorenzo) RU: Brazil MS W: Ocean Belrose (PYF) RU: Bydhir Carnet (PYF)
(Carlos Ishida, Guilherme Teodoro)
WS W: Kelley Tehahetua (PYF) RU: Tevai Teping (PYF)
WT W: Chile (Judith Morales, Daniela Ortega, Paulina Vega) RU: Argentina (Camila MD W: Keanu Tehei/Yvan Perrom (PYF) RU: Bydhir Carnet/Heimanarii Lafortune (PYF)
Arguelles, Camila Kaizoji, Candela Molero)
WD W: Kelley Fehahetua/Keala Teh (PYF) RU: Pascaline Toutain/Uratahi Patere (PYF)
MS W: Santiago Lorenzo (ARG) RU: Horacio Cifuentes (ARG)
XD W: Keanu Decian/Kelley Tehahetua (PYF) RU: Arii Pambrun/ Keala Tehahetua (PYF)
WS W: Caroline Kumahara (BRA) RU: Camila Arguelles (ARG)
MD W: Gaston Alto/Horacio Cifuentes (ARG) RU: Nicolas Burgos/Gustavo Gomez (CHI) WTT Youth Contender Lignano, Italy
WD W: Daniela Ortega/Paulina Vega (CHI) RU: Camila Arguelles/Candela Molero (ARG) Sun 30th Oct – Sat 5th Nov
XD W: Gustavo Gomez/Daniela Ortega (CHI) RU: Horacio Cifuentes/Camila Arguelles (PAR)
U19BS W: Payas Jain (IND) RU: Yuhi Sakai (JPN)
Caribbean Under 11 and Under 13 Championships, Georgetown, U19GS W: Hana Goda (EGY) RU: Ng Wing Lam (HKG)
Guyana
U17BS W: Keishi Hagihara (JPN) RU: Kazuki Yoshiyama (JPN)
Fri 14th – Wed 19th Oct
U17GS W: Hana Goda (EGY) RU: Taneesha Kotecha (IND)
U15BS W: Kwon Hyuk (KOR) RU: Kuo Guan-Hong (TPE)
U11BT W: Jamaica (Anthony Bird, Ajani Spencer) RU: Trinidad & Tobago (Liam U15GS W: Hardee Chetan Patel (IND) RU: Maria Berzosa (ESP)
Walters, Liam Rattoo)
U13BS W: Steven Moreno (PUR) RU: Enrique Rios (PUR)
U13BT W: St Lucia (Manie Eleuthere, Lesbon Francis) RU: Guyana I (Ebo McNeil, U13GS W: Syndrela Das (IND) RU: Mak Ming Shum (HKG)
Malachi Moore)
U11BS W: Chen Kai-Cheng (TPE) RU: Ma Yeongjun (KOR)
U13GT W: Guyana I (Jasmine Billingy, Samara Sukhai) RU: Jamaica (Kayan Denton, U11GS W: Matilde Buzzoni (ITA) RU: Veronika Pryshchepa (UKR)
Keeara Whyte)
U11BS W: Leshon Francis (LCA) RU: Ajani Spencer (JAM)
Pan American Championships, Santiago, Chile
U11GS W: Samara Sukhai (GUY) RU: Shackecy Damon (GUY)
Mon 31st Oct – Sun 6th Nov
U11BD W: Anthony Bird/Ajani Spencer (JAM) RU: Zion Hickerson/Kayden Muesa (GUY)
U13BS W: Manie Eleuthere (LCA) RU: Malachi Moore (GUY)
MT W: Brazil (Hugo Calderano, Vitor Ishiy, Guilherme Teodoro) RU: USA (Sharon
U13GS W: Shatal Charles (LCA) RU: Jasmine Billingy (GUY)
Alguetti, Kanak Jha, Liang Jishan)
U13BD W: Ebo McNeil/Malachi Moore (GUY) v Gmarco Smith/Logan Royes (JAM) WT W: Brazil (Caroline Kumahara, Bruna Takahashi, Giulia Takahashi) RU: USA
U13GD W: Jasmine Billingy/Samara Sukhai (GUY) v Kayan Denton/Keeara Whyte (JAM) (Rachel Sung, Amy Wang, Lily Zhang)
U13XD W: Malachi Moore/Jasmine Billingy (GUY) v Ebo McNeil/Samara Sukhai (GUY) MS W: Hugo Calderano (BRA) RU: Kanak Jha (USA)
WS W: Adriana Diaz (PUR) RU: Lily Zhang (USA)
WTT Champions Macao, China
MD W: Gaston Alto/Horacio Cifuentes (ARG) RU: Nicolas Burgos/Gustavo Gomez (CHI)
Wed 19th – Sun 23rd Oct
WD F: Rachel Sung/Amy Wang (USA) v Caroline Kumahara/Bruna Takahashi (BRA)
XD F: Vitor Ishiy/Bruna Takahashi (BRA) v Nikhil Kumar/Amy Wang (USA)
MS W: Wang Chuqin (CHN) RU: Fan Zhendong (CHN)
WS W: Sun Yingsha (CHN) RU: Chen Xingtong (CHN)
WTT Contender Nova Gorica, Slovenia
Mon 31st Oct – Sun 6th Nov
WTT Youth Contender Cairo, Egypt
Mon 24th – Sun 30th Oct
MS W: Hiroto Shinozuka (JPN) RU: Darko Jorgic (SLO)
WS W: Shin Yubin (KOR) RU: Yang Xiaoxin (MON)
U19BS W: Mohamed Azzam (EGY) RU: Marwan Gamal (EGY)
MD W: Hiroto Shinozuka/Shunsuke Togami (JPN) RU: Darko Jorgic/Tomas Polansky
U19GS W: Hana Goda (EGY) RU: Sarvinoz Mirkadirova (KAZ)
(SLO/CZE)
U17BS W: Yassin Gaber (EGY) RU: Moamen Salaheldin (EGY)
WD W: Doo Hoi Kem/Zhu Chengzhu (HKG) v Linda Bergström/Christina Källberg (SWE)
U17GS W: Sarvinoz Mirkadirova (KAZ) RU: Josephina Neumann (GER)
XD W: Lim Junghoon/Shin Yubin (KOR) v Sathiyan Gnanasekaran/Manika Batra (IND)
94 -ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 95

RESULTS
WTT Youth Contender Szombathely, Hungary
Thu 3rd – Wed 9th Nov
U19BS W: Eduard Ionescu (ROU) RU: Chang Yu-An (TPE)
U19GS W: Yuna Ojio (JPN) RU: Sachi Aoki (JPN)
U17BS W: Chang Yu-An (TPE) RU: Michal Gawlas (POL)
U17GS W: Sally Moyland (USA) RU: Rin Mende (JPN)
U15BS W: Yang Hao-Jen (TPE) RU: Tamito Watanabe (JPN)
U15GS W: Bianca Mei Rosu (ROU) RU: Mao Takamori (JPN)
U13BS W: Jan Skalda (CZE) RU: Emanuel Otalvaro (COL)
U13GS W: Yumiko Katori (JPN) RU: Wu Ying-Syuan (TPE)
U11BS W: Chen Kai-Cheng (TPE) RU: Miroslav Schmidt (BUL)
U11GS W: Ela Saidi (TUN) v Lizett Fazekas (HUN)
Ifo Veteran Open, Gothenburg, Sweden
Fri 4th – Sun 6th Nov
MS40-50 W: Ola Hansson (SWE) RU: Talis Olausson (SWE)
MS60 W: Diccon Gray (ENG) RU: Christer Wärngren (SWE)
MS65 W: Göran Aldvik (SWE) RU: Per Svensson (SWE)
MS70 W: Ingemar Söderberg (SWE) RU: Hans-Eric Börjesson (SWE)
MS75 W: Lennart Björk (SWE) RU: Torsten Lager (SWE)
MS80 W: Rolf Johansson (SWE) RU: Bo Torinsson (SWE)
WS W: Lena Johnsson (SWE) RU: Helena Johansson (SWE)
WD W: Lena Johnsson/Eva Lindh (SWE) RU: Grazyna Hajdecka/Natalia Konovaleva
(UKR/AUT)
XD W: Tomas Köszegi/Lena Johnsson (SWE) RU: Per Svensson/Jette Vieg (SWE)
MT40-49 W: Ola Hansson/Tomas Köszegi (SWE) RU: Tallis Olausson/ Johan Eriksson (SWE)
MT60 W: Per Svensson/ Åke Ström (SWE) RU: Jan Vincent Jan/Torbjörn Andersson (SWE)
MD40-50 W: Jimmy Johansson/Mikael Linden (SWE) RU: Ola Hansson/Tomas
Kvarnby (SWE)
MD60-65 W: Diccon Gray/Christer Wärngren (ENG/SWE) RU: Stefan Sandberg/
Freddy Bergqvist (SWE)
MD70 W: Erling Nielsen/Lennart Björk Lennart (DEN/SWE) RU: Bo-Göte Palmqvist/
Åke Karlsson (SWE)
Andalucia 2022 World Para Championships, Granada, Spain
Sun 6th – Sat 12th Nov
MS1 W: Nam Kiwon (KOR) RU: Joo Youngdae (KOR)
MS2 W: Fabien Lamirault (FRA) RU: Rafal Czuper (POL)
MS3 W: Thomas Schmidberger (GER) RU: Jenson van Emburgh (USA)
MS4 W: Kim Junggil (KOR) RU: Maxime Thomas (FRA)
MS5 W: Valentin Baus (GER) RU: Ali Ozturk (TUR)
MS6 W: Matteo Parenzan (ITA) RU: Rungroj Thainiyom (THA)
MS7 W: Will Bayley (GBR) RU: Jean Paul Montanus (NED)
MS8 W: Viktor Didukh (UKR) RU: Thomas Bouvais (FRA)
MS9 W: Laurens Devos (BEL) RU: Josh Stacey (GBR)
MS10: Patryk Chojnowski (POL) RU: David Jacobs (INA)
MS11: Kim Gitae (KOR) RU: Kim Changgi (KOR)
WS1 W: Dorota Buclaw (POL) RU: Aino Tapola (FIN)
WS2 W: Giada Rossi (ITA) RU: Seo Suyeon (KOR)
WS3 W: Yoon Jiyu (KOR) RU: Andela Muzinic (CRO)
WS4 W: Wijittra Jaion (THA) RU: Sandra Mikolaschek (GER)
WS5 W: Alexandra Saint-Pierre (FRA) RU: Panwas Sringam (THA)
WS6 W: Maryna Lytovchenko (UKR) RU: Katarzyna Marszal (POL)
WS7 W: Kubra Korkut (TUR) RU: Kelly Van Zon (NED)
WS8 W: Thu Kamkasomphu (FRA) RU: Aida Dahlen (NOR)
WS9 W: Alexa Svitacs (HUN) RU: Lei Li Na (AUS)
WS10 W: Yang Qian (AUS) RU: Natalia Partyka (POL)
WS11 W: Lea Ferney (FRA) RU: Krystyna Lysiak (POL)
MD4 W: Cha Sooyong/Park Jingheol (KOR) RU: Iker Sastre/Miguel Angel Toledo (ESP)
MD8 W: Kim Younggun/Kim Junggil (KOR) RU: Yuttajak Glinbanchuen/Wanchai
Chaiwut (THA)
MD14 W: Paul Karabardak/Billy Shilton (GBR) RU: Rungroj Thainiyom/Phisit
Wangphonphathanasiri (THA)
MD18 W: Lev Kats/Ivan Mai (UKR) RU: Josh Stacey/Ross Wilson (GBR)
MD22 W: Kim Gitae/Jeoung Kyuyoung (KOR) RU: Koya Kato/Takeshi Takamori (JPN)
WD5 W: Michela Brunelli/Giada Rossi (ITA) RU: Dararat Asayut/Chilchitraryak
Bootwansirina (THA)
WD10 W: Borislava Peric-Rankovic/Nada Matic (SRB) RU: Jung Younga/Yoon Jiyu (KOR)
WD14 W: Fliss Pickard/Grace Williams (GBR) RU: Stephanie Grebe/Juliane Wolf (GER)
WD20 W: Lei Li Na/Yang Qian (AUS) RU: Natalia Partyka/Karolina Pek (POL)
WD22 W: Ng Mui Wui/Wong Ting Ting (HKG) RU: Anne Divet/Lea Ferney (FRA)
XD4 W: Park Jincheol/Seo Suyeon (KOR) RU: Federico Crosara/Giada Rossi (ITA)
XD7 W: Thomas Brüchle/Sandra Mikolaschek (GER) RU: Kim Juynggil/Yoon Jiyu (KOR)
XD10 W: Kim Younggun/Jung Younga (KOR) RU: Wanchai Chaiwut/Wijittra Jaion (THA)
XD14 W: Jean-Paul Montanus/Kelly van Zon (NED) RU: Viktor Didukh/Maryna
Lytovchenko (UKR)
XD17 W: Paulo Salmin/Bruna Alexandre (BRA) RU: Peter Rosenmeier/Thea Nielsen (DEN)
XD20 W: Patryk Chojnowski/Natalia Partyka (POL) RU: Ma Lin/Yang Qian (AUS)
XD22 W: Kim Gitae/Seo Yanghee (KOR) RU: Takashi Asano/Kanami Furukawa (JPN)
Virtus Oceania Asia Games, Brisbane, Australia
Mon 7th – Sun 13th Nov
MS11 W: Chen Po-Yen (TPE) RU: Hajime Hara (JPN)
WS11 W: Miya Yamaguchi (JPN) RU: Li Hu Ting (HKG)
MD11 W: Hajime Hara/Shunta Yamamoto (JPN) RU: Chen Po-Yen/Hsieh Fei (TPE)
WD11 W: Ayumi Kawasaki/Miya Yamaguchi (JPN) RU: Li Jing-Shiuan/Li Yi-Ya (TPE)
XD11 W: Shunta Yamamoto/Natsuki Wadi (JPN) RU: Hajime Hara/Miyu Yamagushi (JPN)
WTT Youth Contender Senec, Slovakia
Mon 7th – Sun 13th Nov
U19BS W: Chang Yu-An (TPE) RU: Su Yu-Lun (TPE)
U19GS W: Kaho Akae (JPN) RU: Yuna Ojio (JPN)
U17BS W: Hung Jing-Kai (TPE) RU: Nandan Naresh (USA)
U17GS W: Rin Mende (JPN) RU: Yuna Ojio (JPN)
U15BS W: Yang Hao-Jen (TPE) RU: Lee Seungsoo (KOR)
U15GS W: Mao Takamori (JPN) RU: Wu Ying-Syuan (TPE)
U13BS W: Enrique Rios (PUR) RU: Lin Chin-Ting (TPE)
U13GS W: Chen Min-Hsin (TPE) RU: Wu Ying-Syuan (TPE)
U11BS W: Chen Kai-Cheng (TPE) RU: Abdulrahaman Al-Taher (KSA)
U11GS W: Liao Yixuan (TPE) RU: Iryna Yachmienova (UKR)
New Caledonia Open, Noumea
Espineira (CUB/PER)
Fri 11th – Sat 12th Nov
WD55 W: Ximena Gonçalvez/Zheng Zhying (CHI) RU: Julia Bobadilla/Jacqueline Diaz
(CHI)
MS W: Geoffrey Loi (PNG) RU: Jeremy Dey (NCL)
WS W: Lorie La (NCL) RU: Fabianna Faeham (NCL)
U21MS W: Adrien Perrot (NCL) RU: Noa Galinie Terregrosa (NCL)
MT35-44 W: Chile A (Guillermo Campusano, Fernando Concha, Pablo Gaete,
Sebastian Sanhueza) RU: Ecuador (Geovanny Coello, Ahmed Elkholy, Carlos Flor)
MT45-54 W: Colombia A (Diego Arbodela, Ricardo Rodriguez) RU: Chile (Juan
ITTF-Oceania Melanesia Championships, Noumea
Sat 12th – Sun 13th Nov
Aceiton, Alejando Moncada, Pablo Leon, Muaricio Lillo)
MT55-64 W: Chile B (René Aguirre, Christian Cubelli, Marco Gomez, Armando Saez)
RU: Chile A (Luis Carreño, Arturo Lopez, Augusto Morales)
MS W: Jeremy Dey (NCL) RU: Geoffrey Loi (PNG)
WS W: Cathy Gauthier (NCL) RU: Lorie La (NCL)
MT65 W: Chile B (Jorge Abarca, Gustavo Becerra, Carlos Concha) RU: Chile C
(Manuel Beovides, Carlos Erebitis, Martin Pinto)
MD W: Jeremy Dey/Adrien Perrot (NCL) RU: Geoffrey Loi/Jorn Theuerkauf (PNG/NCL)
WD W: Cathy Gauthier/Fabianna Faehau (NCL) RU: Lorie La/Julie Wangui (NCL)
XD W: Jeremy Day/Julie Wanegui (NCL) RU: Olivier Clouet/Fabianna Faehau (NCL)
WT35-44 W: Chile B (Beatriz Campillay, Ximena Ceron) RU: Cuba/Peru (Lisi Castillo,
Marisol Espineira)
WT45-54 W: Peru A (Eliana Gonzales, Milagritos Goritti, Magaly Montes) RU: Chile
WTT Youth Contender Jezzine, Lebanon
Mon 14th – Sun 20th Nov
(Claudia Erebitis, Loreto Becerra)
WT55: Chile A (Julia Bobadilla, Jacqueline Diaz, Ximena Gonçalvez, Zheng Zhying)
RU: Costa Rica (Sonia Hernandez, Mercedes Valenzuela)
U19BS W: Wong Qi Shen (MAS) RU: Adrien Rassenfosse (BEL)
U19GS W: Ng Wing Lam (HKG) RU: Kong Tsz Lam (HKG)
U17BS W: Alan Kurmangaliyev (KAZ) RU: Amirmahdi Keshavarzi (IRI)
WTT Feeder Düsseldorf III, Germany
Tue 22nd – Fri 25th Nov
U17GS W: Pritha Priya Vartikar (IND) RU: Wong Hoi Tung (HKG)
U15BS W: Yasin Gaber (EGY) RU: Hong Yu Tey (MAS)
U15GS W: Mak Ming Shum (HKG) RU: Hend Zaza (SYR)
U13BS W: Abdelmalk El-Sayed (EGY) RU: Mohammed Al-Saluati (QAT)
U13GS W: Mak Ming Shum (HKG) RU: Vania Yavari (IRI)
U11BS W: Faraz Shakiba (IRI) RU: Michel Abi Nader (LBN)
MS W: Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) RU: Benedikt Duda (GER)
WS W: Shan Xiaona (GER) RU: Natalia Bajor (POL)
MD W: Maciej Kubik/Samuel Kulczycki (POL) RU: Cedric Meissner/Kilian Ort (GER)
WD W: Liu Hsing-Yin/Huang Yu-Wen (TPE) RU: Choi Hyojoo/Lee Zion (KOR)
XD W: Cho Daeseong/Lee Zion (KOR) RU:Ho Kwan Kit/Lee Ho Ching (HKG)
U11GS W: Mariya Lukyanova (KAZ) RU: Ela Saidi (TUN)
WTT Youth Star Contender Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup, Bangkok, Thailand
Wed 23rd – Sun 27th Nov
Thu 17th Nov – Sat 19th Nov
U19BS W: Felix Lebrun (FRA) RU: Kao Cheng-Jui (TPE)
MS W: Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) RU: Lim Jonghoon (KOR)
WS W: Wang Yidi (CHN) RU: Mima Ito (JPN)
U19GS W: Prithika Pavade (FRA) RU: Elena Zaharia (ROU)
U19BD W: Felix Lebrun/Thibaut Poret (FRA) RU: Payas Jain/Navid Shams (IND/IRI)
U19GD W: Huang Yu-Jie/Tsai Yun-En (TPE) RU: Yashwini Ghorpade/Suhana Saini (IND)
ITTF Pan American Veteran Championships, Lima, Peru
U19XD W: Felix Lebrun/Prithika Pavade (FRA) RU: Darius Movileanu/Elena Zaharia (ROU)
Mon 21st – Sat 26th Nov
U15BS W: Alan Kurmangaliyev (KAZ) RU: Aditya Sareen (AUS)
MS35-39 W: Cristian Fuenzalida (CHI) RU: Pablo Gaete (CHI)
MS40-44 W: Geovanny Coello (ECU) RU: Louis Castaño (COL)
MS45-49 W: Ricardo Rodriguez (COL) RU: Alejandro Moncada (CHI)
MS50-54 W: Juan Papic (CHI) RU: Jorge Herrera (GUA)
MS55-59 W: Augusto Morales (CHI) RU: Alejandro Silva (CHI)
MS60-64 W: Marco Gomez (CHI) RU: René Aguirre (CHI)
U15GS W: Yeh Yi-Tian (TPE) RU: Hana Goda (EGY)
U15BD W: Tiago Abiodun/Wassim Essid (POR/TUN) RU: Nie Chulong/Bae Won (AUS)
U15GS W: Natalia Bogdanowicz/Bianca Mei Rosu (POL/ROU) RU: Koharu Itagaki/
Josephina Neumann (JPN)
U15XD W: Tiago Abiodun/Maria Berzosa (POR/ESP) RU: Natanel Abramov/Julia
Vitorino (ISR/POR)
MS65-69 W: Jorge Abarca (CHI) RU: Guillermo Leon (CHI)
MS70-79 W: José Viacava (PER) RU: Amador Nuñez (PER)
MS80 W: Carlos Martinez (PER) RU: Edmundo Denegri (PER)
ITTF World Youth Championships, Tunis, Tunisia
Sun 4th – Sun 12th Dec
WS35-44 W: Beatriz Campillay (CHI) RU: Ximena Ceron (CHI)
WS45-49 W: Miligratos Gorriti (PER) RU: Bertha Tapia (PER)
WS50-59 W: Zheng Zhying (CHI) RU: Jacqueline Diaz (CHI)
WS60-64 W: Sara Villigran (CHI) RU: Sonia Hernandez (CRC)
WS65 W: Luz Gacha (COL) RU: Julia Bobadilla (CHI)
U19BT W: China (Chen Yuanyu, Lin Shidong, Zeng Beixun) RU: Poland (Maciej Kubik,
Milosz Redzimski, Mateusz Zalewski)
U19GT W: China (Chen Yi, Han Feier, Kuai Man) RU: France (Agathe Avezou,
Charlotte Lutz, Prithika Pavade)
U19BS W: Lin Shidong (CHN) RU: Chen Yuanyu (CHN)
MD35-54 W: Diego Arbodela/Ricardo Rodriguez (COL) RU: Arturo Lopez/Juan Papic (CHI)
MD55 W: Frank Arias/Carlos Sosa (DOM) RU: Simon Brill/Christian Cubelli (CHI)
U19GS W: Miyuu Kihara (JPN) RU: Miwa Harimoto (JPN)
U19BD W: Chen Yuanyu/Lin Shidong (CHN) RU: Adrien Rassenfosse/Hayate Suzuki
WD35-54 W: Beatriz Campillay/Ximena Ceron (CHI) RU: Lisi Castillo/Marisol (BEL/JPN)
96 -ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 97

RESULTS
U19GD W: Miwa Harimoto/Miyuu Kihara (JPN) RU: Charlotte Lutz/Prithika Pavade (FRA)
U19XD W: Lin Shidong/Kuai Man (CHN) RU: Lee Hoyun/Lee Daeun (KOR)
U15BT W: China (Huang Xunan, Kang Youde, Wen Ruibo) RU: Australia (Bae Won,
Nie Chulong, Aditya Sareen)
U15GT W: China (Gao Yuxin, Xiang Junlin, Yan Yutong) RU: Japan (Sachi Aoki, Rin
Mende, Yuna Ojio)
U15BS W: Flavien Coton (FRA) RU: Kazuki Yoshiyama (JPN)
U15GS W: Yan Yutong (CHN) RU: Xiang Junlin (CHN)
U15BD W: Samuel Arpas/Balasz Lei (SVK/HUN) RU: Takumi Tanimoto/Kazuki
Yoshiyama (JPN)
U15GD W: Xiang Junlin/Yan Yutong (CHN) RU: Lee Seungeun/Yoo Yerin (KOR)
U15XD W: Alan Kurmangaliyev/Hana Goda (KAZ/EGY) RU: Tiago Abiodun/Maria
Berzosa (POR/ESP)
ITTF Oceania Cup, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Sat 17th – Sun 18th Dec
MS W: Nicholas Lum (AUS) RU: Xin Yan (AUS)
WS W: Minhyung Jee (AUS) RU: Liu Yangzi (AUS)
Pacific Cup Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Sat 17th – Sun 18th Dec
MS W: Geoffrey Loi (PNG) RU: Jeremy Dey (NCL)
WS W: Grace Rosi Yee (FIJ) RU: Julie Wanegui (NCL)
United States Open, Ontario, California
Fri 16th – Wed 21st Dec
Great Triumphs, Great Pain
The Life of Angelica Rozeanu
WTT Feeder Fort Lauderdale, United States
Sun 11th – Wed 14th Dec
MS W: Satoshi Aida (JPN) RU: Simon Gauzy (FRA)
WS W: Amy Wang (USA) RU: Lily Zhang (USA)
MD W: Lubomir Pistej/Jakub Zelinka (SVK) RU: Liang Jishan/Marcos Madrid (USA/MEX)
WD W: Barbora Balazova/Lily Zhang (SVK/USA) RU: Rachel Sung/Amy Wang (USA)
XD W: Lubomir Pistej/Barbora Balazova (SVK) RU: Alvaro Robles/Maria Xiao (ESP)
ITTF Copa Costa Rica 2022 San José, Costa Rica
Wed 14th – Fri 16th Dec
MS2-3 W: Yorick Adjal (FRA) RU: Luis Valencia (COL)
MS4-5 W: Emeric Martin (FRA) RU: Simon Heaps (GBR)
MS6-7 W: Zbynek Lambert (CZE) RU: Domingo Arguello (CRC)
MS8 W: Steven Roman (CRC) RU: Yehonatan Levi (ISR)
MS9 W: Logan Watson (USA) RU:Shaquille Rivera (PUR)
MS10 W: Ivan Karabec (CZE) RU:Melvin Muñoz (ESA)
MS W: Kou Lei (UKR) RU: Zhou Jin (USA)
WS W: Amy Wang (USA) RU: Lily Zhang (USA)
MD W: Kou Lei/Ye Tian (UKR/USA) RU: Tao Wenzhang/Zhang Xiang Jing (USA)
WD W: Rachel Sung/Lily Zhang (USA) RU: Shao Luoxuan/Wu Youruo (USA)
XD W: Nikhil Kumar/Amy Wang (USA) RU: Zhang Kai/Rachel Sung (USA)
U21MS W: Angel Naranjo (PUR) RU: Jabdiel Torres (PUR)
U21WS W: Rachel Sung (USA) RU: Amy Wang (USA)
U19BS W: Jabdiel Torres (PUR) RU: Darryl Tsao (USA)
U19GS W: Wu Youruo (USA) RU: Shao Luoxuan (USA)
U17BS W: Lee Sanghyeok (USA) RU: Darius Fahimi (USA)
U17GS W: Crystal Liu (USA) RU: Isabella Xu (USA)
U15BS W: Aditya Sareen (AUS) RU: Darryl Tsao (USA)
U15GS W: Angelica Arellano (USA) RU: Irene Yeoh (USA)
U13BS W: Patryk Zyworonek (POL) RU: Rignesh Padamanur (USA)
U13GS W: Tashiya Piyadasa USA) RU: Geetha Krishna (USA)
U11BS W: Kyler Chen (USA) RU: Jayden Cai (USA)
U11GS W: Irene Yeoh USA) RU: Tiana Piyadasa (USA)
WS3-4 W: Manuela Guapi (COL) RU: Valerie Rolph (USA)
WS6-7 W: Gabriela Constantin (ROU) RU: Camelia Ciripan (ROU)
WS8-9 W: Jessica Alzate (COL) RU: Lucie Hautière (FRA)
MD8 W: Yorick Adjal/Simon Heaps (FRA/GBR) RU: Zachary Pickett/Zachary Wentz (USA)
MD14 W: Domingo Arguello/Steven Roman (CRC) RU: Daniel Prado/Hernan Sous
(PER/CRC)
MD18 W: Ivan Karabec/Zbynek Lambert (CZE) RU: Muhammad Pirzada/Logan
Watson (USA)
WD14 W: Aneth Araya/Joseline Yevenes (CRC/CHI) RU: Camelia Ciripan/Gabriela
Constantin (ROU)
XD4 W: Luis Valencia/Manuela Guapi (COL) RU: Zachary Wentz/Valerie Rolph (USA)
XD14 W: Steven Roman/Aneth Araya (CRC) RU: Logan Wade/Camelia Ciripan (USA/ROU)
ITTF World Veteran Tour, Road to Oman, Ontario
Wed 14th – Fri 16th Dec
MS40 W: Ju Mingwei (USA) RU: Yinka Olasoji (USA)
MS50 W: Dai Tuan (USA) RU: Ruan Torn (USA)
MS60 W: George Guo (USA) RU: Douglas Li (USA)
MS65 W: Liu Ming (USA) RU: Harry Wang (USA)
MS75 W: Alireza Hejazi (USA) RU: Dell Sweeris (USA)
MS Open W: Yinka Olasoji (USA) RU: Rusian Riabokonrev (USA)
WS Open: Megha Ranganath (USA) RU: Angela Tian (USA)
U19BD W: Angel Naranjo/Jabdiel Torres (PUR) RU: Peng Yu-Sheng/Tien Hsiang -Yuan (USA)
U19GD W: Shao Luoxuan/Wu Youruo (USA) RU: Kylie Lam/Rachel Sung (USA)
U19XD W: Aditya Godhwani/Shao Luoxuan (USA) RU: Darryl Tsao/Lucy Chen (USA)
U15BD W: Andrew Cao/Aditya Sareen (USA/AUS) RU: Kef Noorani/Raymond Zhu (USA)
U15GD W: Jessie Xiaorong Xu/Demi Yu Ting Cai (USA) RU: Lin Yishiuan/Emily Quan (USA)
U15XD W: Aditya Sareen/Mandy Yu (AUS/USA) RU: Nie Chulong/Lin Yishiuan (AUS/USA)
U11BD W: Kyler Chen/Jason Liu (USA) RU: Mohammed Yasin Musthafa/Joe Zhang (USA)
U11GD W: Irene Yeoh/Abigail Yu (USA) RU: Angela He/Tiana Piyadasa (USA)
U11XD W: Kyler Chen/Irene Yeoh (USA) RU: David Yifeng Xu/Emma Dong (USA)
MS30 W: Andres Avila (USA) RU: Craig Bryant (ENG)
WS30 W: Dora Kurimay (USA) RU: Stephanie Sun (USA)
MS40 W: Ju Mingwei (USA) RU: Ahmed Adeleye (USA)
WS40 W: Lily Yip (USA) RU: Dora Kurimay (USA)
MS50 W: Rudy Miranda (USA) RU: Li Yuxiang (USA)
WS50 W: Lily Yip (USA) RU: Gina Dole (USA)
MS60 W: George Guo (USA) RU: Li Yuxiang (USA)
WS60 W: Ma Jiangtao (USA) RU: Shi Shuqin (USA)
MS65 W: Li Yuxiang Li (USA) RU: Wang Hu (USA)
WS65 W: Rita Jain (USA) RU: Hui Xianyu (USA)
MS70 W: Choi Sung Kook (USA) RU: Wang Hu (USA)
WS70 W: Hui Xianyu Hui (USA) RU: Cheung Tingning (USA)
MS75 W: Alireza Hejazi (USA) RU: Dell Sweeris (USA)
WS75 W: Donna Sakai (USA) RU: Connie Sweeris (USA)
MS80 W: Peter May (USA) RU: Martin Sundel (USA)
The life of Angelica Rozeanu was an era of immense change,
arguably her generation witnessed greater transformation than
ever before and at a greater pace. Adapting to wide ranging
situations, often in the face of great adversity, not being afraid to
take life changing decisions very much sums up her character. A
strong but very caring personality, she was not only a great table
tennis champion and an oustanding sportswoman; she was a
truly a fine human being.
ORDER YOUR
COPY HERE
Euros 25 plus postage and packing
Available from Richard Scruton
Tel:44 7870197754
Email:richardofyork187@outlook.com
98 -ITTF Magazine ITTF Magazine- 99