Busan Makes History
When the world’s elite players gathered at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Centre (BEXCO) for the ITTF World Championships 2024, they weren’t just competing for titles – they were part of history. For the first time ever, Korea Republic hosted our sport’s flagship event, delivering a championship that exceeded all expectations. The combination of impeccable organisation and the nation’s passionate table tennis culture created an electric atmosphere, whilst the added pressure of Olympic qualification spots pushed competition to new heights.
Team China ultimately retained their crowns in both men’s and women’s events, though not without fierce resistance – the French men’s and Korea Republic’s men’s team pushed them to the limit, whilst Japan’s women provided one of the tournament’s most memorable battles before China secured their title defence.
Next Generation Shines in Helsingborg
The future of table tennis took centre stage at the ITTF World Youth Championships in Sweden this November, where history was written multiple times over. Germany’s Annett Kaufmann broke Asia’s dominance by becoming the first non-Asian champion in Under-19 Girls’ Singles, whilst Hana Goda secured Africa’s first-ever U19 Singles medal with bronze, and Leonardo Izuka claimed a historic first Singles medal for the Pan-American region.
Korea Republic continued the year’s theme of breaking barriers, becoming the first non-Chinese or Japanese team to claim the Under-19 Girls’ Team title. Meanwhile, China’s Li Hechen achieved the remarkable feat of securing all four gold medals in the Under-15 categories, and Iran celebrated its first-ever Youth Championships medal through Benyamin Faraji’s bronze in Under-15 Boys’ Singles.
Rome Hosts Record-Breaking Masters
The eternal city provided a fitting backdrop for the largest table tennis event in history, as Rome welcomed the ITTF World Masters Championships 2024. The numbers alone tell an extraordinary story: 6,100 athletes aged 40 to 99, 111 member associations represented, and nearly 10,000 members of the table tennis family gathered at the Nuova Fiera di Roma.
Yet beyond the record-breaking numbers, this year’s Masters Championships marked another significant milestone by welcoming Para table tennis players for the first time. Across eleven age categories, the event demonstrated that table tennis truly is a sport for all, transcending age, ability, and borders.
These three championships painted a vivid picture of table tennis’s global appeal – from promising youth talents and elite competitors to passionate veterans, the sport continues to evolve, inspire, and unite people across generations.