by Wade Townsend

Contracts expiring, the Chinese Table Tennis Association was tasked with refilling all positions of its coaching staff. After internal meetings the following names were announced:

Head Coach: Liu Guoliang
Men’s Team Head Coach: Qin Zhijian
Men’s Team Coaches: Liu Guozheng, Wang Hao, Ma Lin, Liu Heng, Ma Junfeng
Women’s Team Head Coach: Kong Linghui
Women’s Team Coaches: Xiao Zhan, Li Sun, Chen Bin, Zhang Qin, Huang Haicheng

Ma Long’s coach Qin Zhijian has been promoted to fill the role of Men’s Team Head Coach, with Liu Guoliang now overseeing the entire team. Meanwhile Xiao Zhan, Zhang Jike’s coach, has moved to the Women’s Team.

The staff also sees the return of some familiar faces but in new roles. Ma Lin and Wang Hao are back in the national team, but now in the guise of coaches. Both will be looking to make their mark in this new chapter of their table tennis career.

What do you think of the new coaching line-up?