Team South Africa is optimistic their training camp in India will lead to a successful showing at the 2023 World Table Tennis championship on home soil.
The national table tennis team arrived in Durban on Sunday from an “intensive” three-week training programme at the Stag Table Tennis Academy in New Delhi, India.
Reflecting on the training camp on landing at King Shaka International Airport, coach Simon Gologolo said their experience had been positive as the team had access to state-of-the-art facilities which improved their skills.
“From the first day until the last, every member standing here really pushed. The guys worked, from table work to fitness, and we tried a new system as well, so it was a positive experience,” he said.
“I think the team has really improved since we went to Delhi and we are ready for the challenge. We’re ready to represent our country and do the best we can.”
Gologolo was joined by the eight-member team consisting of Theo Cogill, Chetan Nathoo, Liam Beukes and Dean Levy from the men’s team and Danisha Patel, Zodwa Maphanga, Musfiqur Kalam, and Lailaa Edwards from the women's team.
Cogill, the reigning South African men’s champion, said the intensity of the training was what they found especially different to what they are used to locally.
“The toughest part was the (normal) training combined with the physical training. We would basically do physical training before and after the normal training. It was quite hard on our bodies but the academy is well organised because they had physios, so if there were any injuries, there were people to help us,” he said.
Maphanga agreed, but she said the physical side of the training was not that much of a shock to her because she had been doing it every day at the High Performance Centre.
Aside from the physical training, Gologolo also expressed satisfaction with the exposure to the diverse styles of table tennis the team was exposed to.
“These guys had more than enough sparring partners who are at a very high level of play. We had sparring partners from Maldives, Botswana, Delhi as well as Mumbai”.
Gologolo did not reveal specific targets for the upcoming tournament.
“A successful tournament for us would be to go as far as we can because table tennis is very diverse and our team has prepared very well. I'm happy with the preparations they did that side and I'm hoping for the best for the team and (to go) as far as they can go,” he said.
The players undergo another training programme from Monday with two Chinese coaches who will be assisting them in their preparations for the tournament.
South Africa’s arrival for the tournament followed that of world champions China, who landed in Durban on Friday.
The tournament will be staged in Africa for the first time in 84 years after Durban’s bid was voted ahead of Germany’s Düsseldorf.
The eight-day tournament will kick off on May 20 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre.
TimesLIVE
Team SA optimistic after preparation in India ahead of table tennis championship
Image: SANDILE NDLOVU
Team South Africa is optimistic their training camp in India will lead to a successful showing at the 2023 World Table Tennis championship on home soil.
The national table tennis team arrived in Durban on Sunday from an “intensive” three-week training programme at the Stag Table Tennis Academy in New Delhi, India.
Reflecting on the training camp on landing at King Shaka International Airport, coach Simon Gologolo said their experience had been positive as the team had access to state-of-the-art facilities which improved their skills.
“From the first day until the last, every member standing here really pushed. The guys worked, from table work to fitness, and we tried a new system as well, so it was a positive experience,” he said.
“I think the team has really improved since we went to Delhi and we are ready for the challenge. We’re ready to represent our country and do the best we can.”
Gologolo was joined by the eight-member team consisting of Theo Cogill, Chetan Nathoo, Liam Beukes and Dean Levy from the men’s team and Danisha Patel, Zodwa Maphanga, Musfiqur Kalam, and Lailaa Edwards from the women's team.
Cogill, the reigning South African men’s champion, said the intensity of the training was what they found especially different to what they are used to locally.
“The toughest part was the (normal) training combined with the physical training. We would basically do physical training before and after the normal training. It was quite hard on our bodies but the academy is well organised because they had physios, so if there were any injuries, there were people to help us,” he said.
Maphanga agreed, but she said the physical side of the training was not that much of a shock to her because she had been doing it every day at the High Performance Centre.
Aside from the physical training, Gologolo also expressed satisfaction with the exposure to the diverse styles of table tennis the team was exposed to.
“These guys had more than enough sparring partners who are at a very high level of play. We had sparring partners from Maldives, Botswana, Delhi as well as Mumbai”.
Gologolo did not reveal specific targets for the upcoming tournament.
“A successful tournament for us would be to go as far as we can because table tennis is very diverse and our team has prepared very well. I'm happy with the preparations they did that side and I'm hoping for the best for the team and (to go) as far as they can go,” he said.
The players undergo another training programme from Monday with two Chinese coaches who will be assisting them in their preparations for the tournament.
South Africa’s arrival for the tournament followed that of world champions China, who landed in Durban on Friday.
The tournament will be staged in Africa for the first time in 84 years after Durban’s bid was voted ahead of Germany’s Düsseldorf.
The eight-day tournament will kick off on May 20 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre.
TimesLIVE
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