by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
On Friday 4th May, he presented the Ping Pong Parkinson project, an initiative of which he is the founder having recently organised a tournament at the Westchester Club in New York for those who suffer from the illness.
In Halmstad, Nenad Bach, alongside compatriot Zoran Primorac, met Thomas Weikert, ITTF President and Steve Dainton, ITTF Chief Executive Officer, in addition to other officials involved with the recently announced ITTF Foundation.
A musician at heart Nenad Bach played live the song “If I Had Another life” in addition to organising live video links with Dr David Russell, his doctor from Yale University and Dr Art Dubrow, a coach for Ping Pong Parkinson.
“Steve Dainton said all meetings should start with a song.” Nenad Bach
Nenad Bach, as well as Dr. David Russell, is of no doubt that playing table tennis slows down the degenerative nature of the illness; in fact such has been the effect on Nenad Bach that he has returned to recording.
Recently, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with the King Street Big Band backed by a choir, he has recorded “World Peace in One Hour”; the plan is to release the album later in the year, possibly in September. There will be 15 tracks.
However, in Halmstad, the focus was on a very different rhythm; the tempo of world class table tennis.
“I loved it regardless of the result when Croatia lost to Brazil, they played well and everything here was well organised.” Nenad Bach
Meetings in Halmstad, a recording in Lancaster, now for the softly spoken man with a very gentle nature who clearly cares deeply for his fellow man, it is time for a rest; no that is not Nenad Bach, he intends to open Ping Pong Parkinson franchises around the world.
Furthermore, he is not letting the grass grow under his feet, one has already opened successfully this weekend in Florida; the sounds of bat ball, music to the ears, especially those of Nenad Bach.
