An event steeped in history, the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships returns this month as Busan sets the stage for ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals Busan 2024 from 16-25 February.
40 teams in the Men’s Team and Women’s Team disciplines travel to Busan coveting silverware of the highest order: the Swaythling and Corbillon Cups. Here’s a brief look at the iconic trophies on offer in Busan:
Swaythling Cup
Awarded to the champions of the Men’s Team event, the Swaythling Cup was donated by Lady Baroness Swaythling in 1926. Baroness Swaythling was the mother of Ivor Montagu, the first President of the International Table Tennis Federation, who remained in the post for 41 years.
All seven of the ITTF World Championships trophies.
Presented for the first time at the inaugural World Table Tennis Championships 98 years ago, Hungary was the first recipient of the Swaythling Cup, and would go on to lift the prized trophy 11 further times.
In all, eight teams have had the privilege of holding the Swaythling Cup, with China leading the honours list, winning the Men’s Team discipline a record 22 times.
Corbillon Cup
The Corbillon Cup is presented to the Women’s Team champions at each edition of the World Team Championships. Donated by former President of the French Table Tennis Association, Marcel Corbillon, in 1933, the Corbillon Cup was first awarded at the World Team Championships in 1934 with the introduction of the Women’s Team discipline.
Germany was the first recipient of the Corbillon Cup. The whereabouts of the original trophy remains unknown to this very day after it was lost during World War II. However, an exact replica was produced by the German Table Tennis Federation in 1949, and has been awarded to the event champions ever since.
China is the all-time record holder in the list of Women’s Team champions, lifting the Corbillon Cup 22 times, ahead of Japan’s eight. In all, 11 teams have held the Corbillon Cup in World Team Championships history.
