ITTF in collaboration with the Swedish Table Tennis Association, is demonstrating its commitment to the future of the sport by hosting a comprehensive ITTF High Performance training camp aimed at nurturing young talent. ITTF Head Coach Eva Jeler leads the camp, with Fredrik Håkanson from Halmstad Bordtennisklub facilitating and providing support. 

Taking place from 29 May to 4 June at the Halmstad Arena in Sweden, the camp focuses on U15 players supported by scholarships, those progressing through the Hopes pathway, and other targeted players being monitored for a smooth transition from talent identification to high performance. This High Performance Training Camp is being held in conjunction with the WTT Youth Contenders in Helsingborg (5-8 June) and Sandefjord (10-13 June), maximising opportunities for players and coaches and encouraging participation in these events to track their training and competition performance. 

A total of 14 players, together with their coaches, are participating in the camp, representing 11 different Member Associations. Among the participants are individuals like Joseph Sebatindra, already displaying impressive skills despite being just 9 years old; Görkem Ocal, who recently clinched the European U13 Championship titles in both singles and mixed doubles; and Ayumi Moriyama, who journeyed from Auckland to make the most of this invaluable training opportunity. This diverse turnout showcases the global reach of ITTF High Performance’s efforts and initiatives and is a testament to the continued work towards developing the sport across the globe. 

“The focus of this camp is to first of all assess the technical development of those players that have previously been part of the ITTF programs, and of those who have newly joined. Having established their current status and abilities, we will then work, together with their coaches, on developing a sound future system of play that will enable them to develop even further. At this stage, I can say with confidence that the players coming out of the Hopes pathway have progressed brilliantly in terms of their technical development. We will continue to monitor their performance at competitions, but it is also important to keep an eye on their training progress – a camp like this is the perfect occasion for this, as it gives players and coaches the opportunity to check themselves against their contemporaries in a training environment, motivating them to work harder and develop even further.” – Eva Jeler, ITTF Head Coach

With more days of the camp ahead, the players are poised to experience a truly enriching time in Halmstad, further solidifying the initiative by ITTF and the Swedish Table Tennis Association in nurturing future table tennis champions through comprehensive training and exposure to international competition.