PNG will host the Table Tennis Oceania Cup in Port Moresby next year.
President of the PNG Table Tennis Federation, George Shao as part of the lead up, is calling for more support from stakeholders to host the event.
“2020 is a very challenging year for table tennis, with the Oceania Cup but I am very confident that PNG will host it in a successful way,” he says.
Table tennis is not as popular as the other sports, yet it has its own following.
The code has received little support over the years.
George Shao says, “I take this opportunity to appeal to any potential sponsors to join us to host this important international event”.
The PNG table tennis team is expected to take part in various international tournaments, before returning to home to Port Moresby for the Oceania Cup.
President Shao says says the team will also take part in the qualifiers for the OlympicsTeam event.
In the last 10 years, the code in PNG has been supported by Chinese business to survive.
Added to growth is the establishment of the China Table Tennis Colleague at Sea View International in Port Moresby.
This has helped local table tennis players progress their skills.
Under Shao, several have received training scholarships to China.
It is in this scholarship that 2019 Pacific Games Silver medalist, Jeffery Loi received his training.
He personally wrote to the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Xing Ping to thank him for the scholarship.
To his surprise, President Xing Ping personally responded with return letter that had his signature.
“We are so humbled that we received a reply letter from the President, personally signed by himself,” Chao says.
