Get ready for the ITTF World Hopes Week & Challenge: a summary of the Hopes Weeks in Asia and Oceania

The ITTF Oceania Hopes Week & Challenge 2024, held from 9-13 September, took place in Melbourne at the LOOPS Table Tennis Club, hosted by respected coach Massimo Costantini, and was very well received by all players and coaches.

The participation of 12 female and 10 male athletes, along with 8 male coaches and 7 female coaches from the 3 member associations Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti, made the activity truly gender balanced. The talent identification program goes beyond basic training and aims to convert raw potential into developed skills. The training camp consisted of 2 sessions per day, in the morning from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and in the afternoon from 2:45 pm to 5:00 pm. The players and coaches showed a lot of commitment during these 4 training days.

Carrying out a Continental Hopes activity is always something special. The one I did in Oceania confirmed the above statement. Interesting players, great coaches, interactions, excellent organization and finally good quality of play. A very educational experience, as Hope's activity usually is, said coach Massimo.

The winners of the Challenge were Alice Qinle Xia from Australia and Eli Ho from New Zealand, who will meet their fellow Hopes from around the world for a week of training and competition in Asuncion.

In addition, there are two female coaches who are beneficiaries of the ITTF My Gender. My strength. project attended ITTF Oceania Hopes Week & Challenge: Harvi Yee from Fiji and Hyojoo Lee from New Zealand.

It was a great experience to attend the ITTF Ocrania Hopes Week & Challenge and see the young talented and rising star athletes full of talent. I'm so happy to see that more girls than boys participated. I also benefited from the opportunity and opportunity to learn from one of the best high-level coaches and those great expert coaches as well. The training camp had improved my coaching skills. said Harvi, coach and MGMS beneficiary from Fiji.

Immediately afterwards, from September 14 to 19, the Paralympic Federation Hall in Amman, Jordan, hosted the ITTF Asia Hopes Week & Challenge 2024, bringing together 31 young players from 12 countries in a showcase of table tennis talent and potential. This prestigious event served as a crucial stepping stone in the development of young athletes from across the region, with 16 boys and 15 girls participating under the watchful eye of ITTF expert Hisham Ismail from Egypt.

The event lasted six days, with the first five devoted to intensive training sessions, scheduled twice daily from 8:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 3:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The final day was reserved for the highly anticipated Challenge, where players demonstrated the skills and techniques honed throughout the week.

Twelve member associations were represented at the event, including Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka, reflecting the diversity and depth of talent in the region. The event was also complemented by physical training sessions and a special coach training program, focusing on the holistic development of athletes.

“The level of play of the players in the camp was high, with very good coaches representing twelve countries who did everything they could for their players. Thank you to all the coaches and players for their participation, commitment and for all their efforts during the camp and challenge,” said Hisham Ismail, the head coach of the activity.

The Paralympic Federation Hall provided a large venue for training and practice, equipped with 16 ITTF approved tables. A separate hall was dedicated to physical training, so athletes could work on both their technical and physical fitness. The venue also housed a meeting room used for coach training sessions, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the week's activities.

This combination of quality facilities, a talented group of athletes and coaches and expert coaching created a productive environment in which young talent flourished. Many players showed great promise, and as coach Ismail noted, the camp offered a glimpse into the future of Asian table tennis.

In addition to the appointed Head Coach, two Asian female coaches, Nabita Shreshta from Nepal and Fatemeh Mohaghegh from Iran – both beneficiaries of the ITTF My Gender. My strength. project – attended the activity with the aim of updating and advancing their knowledge and skills by actively participating in the activity and assisting the Head Coach where and when appropriate.

Now that the stage is set, we look forward to a full week of hard training, friendly exchanges and an exciting Challenge tournament at the ITTF World Hopes Week & Challenge 2024 in Asuncion!