by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

On Sunday 22nd April, members of the national team alongside members of staff from the Singapore Table Tennis Association packed and distributed over 100 bags of sweets to the elderly citizens living in public rented flats in the Jalan Kukoh community located neat Chinatown.

At the forthcoming Liebherr 2018 World Team Championships, in the men’s event, Singapore will be represented by Gao Ning, Pang Xue Jie, Ethan Poh Shao Feng, Lucas Tan and Beh Kun Ting; for the women the squad comprises Feng Tianwei, Yu Mengyu, Lin Ye, Zhang Wanling and Pearlyn Koh Kai Xin.

Both outfits compete in the respective Championship Divisions; the initial group stage presenting intriguing fixtures, a top three finish and thus progress to the main draw being the initial goal.

In the men’s event, Singapore is in the same group as Japan, Chinese Taipei, England, Belgium and Belarus. Notably the national coach is Liu Jia Yi who for many years was the coach of the England national team and played a major role in developing the players in current Emgland team; Paul Drinkhall is the outstanding example.

Meanwhile, in the same group as India in the women’s event appears China, Russia, India, Belarus and Sweden; could a re-enactment of recent Commonwealth Women’s Team final when India sensationally recorded a three-one win against Singapore be the fixture that determines third place in the group?

Intriguing contests await in Halmstad.