Sports for all ages: Far East Table Tennis Cup started in Khabarovsk

The Universal Regional Sports Complex on the embankment became the venue for the Far East Cup. Six tables for table tennis and one warm-up table, 11 regions of the Far East, more than a hundred participants, including people of all ages – from thirteen to seventy. And this, experts say, is not the limit – you feel the strength in yourself, you can even enter the court with a racket at the age of a hundred. It is not forbidden, and it is not a fact that the youth will be stronger than the veteran.

– Table tennis is a unique sport. It not only develops coordination, vision and other skills, but here people of all ages take part on the same site. From toddlers to adults, our oldest member is now 70 years old. Our veterans are wonderful people who can teach young people not only how to play tennis, but also how to behave in life. The youngest member was born in 2010. We would like even less, but we will work on it, – says Valery Savin, President of the Khabarovsk Regional Table Tennis Federation.

This is the second stage of the Far East Cup. The first one took place in May in Vladivostok, the third one will be held there immediately after the Eastern Economic Forum, and the final, fourth stage will again be hosted by Khabarovsk. It will happen in November of this year. At the same time, the winners of the Cup will be determined – they will be the athletes who have scored the most points at all stages.

– It was not easy to organize these competitions in such a short time. We are probably the champions in terms of entering into a single calendar plan and organizing competitions, because competitions are planned for a year and a half, and we made a plan for a month. These are very tight deadlines. But next year everything will be quarterly, – shares Valery Savin.

The organizers believe that the Far East Table Tennis Cup will help popularize this sport in the Khabarovsk Territory.

– These competitions are held for the first time, but we planned them last year. They wanted to make trial ones, sort of like the Cup of the Khabarovsk Territory, but then they decided to organize more mass competitions, interregional ones. Moscow supported us. Many thanks to the president of our federation – he made a huge effort, how difficult it was, probably only he knows. But in the end everything worked out. As a coach, I can say that the composition of the participants is very strong – the entire Far Eastern Federal District came, and the organization is good, all athletes note this. I would like such competitions to continue with us, this is a big impetus in the development of our sport for the entire Far East, – notes Olga Ri, coach of the Khabarovsk Territory table tennis team.

The federation is very interested in the influx of new athletes. There will be young people in the sections – there will be excellent results.

– We have our own stars in the team, the Khabarovsk Territory keeps the mark. Our girls perform very well, the boys also have good results, we have good kids. We hope that all this will be taken to a more serious level. But support, especially financial, of course, is needed. The potential is there, the opportunity is not. About the sad – first of all, there is no stationary hall. This is what we dream of. If such a hall appears, if there are large complexes in each district where you can play table tennis, then, of course, according to the results, we will catch up with the western part of the country. There are talents, there are capable children, we need support. Although things are moving forward – this year we have already gone three times to the “Hope of Russia” in Sochi. Both toddlers and children under 16. When there is support, then there will definitely be prospects, – the coach emphasizes.

Tellingly, in the Khabarovsk Territory, coaches rely on their pupils. So, the national team of the region now consists of Khabarovsk residents. In the West, on the contrary, they prefer to invite “legionnaires” to the teams – athletes from other regions who have already proven themselves. Both approaches are good. The Western one gives a quick result, but requires serious expenses, the Eastern approach, ours, does not bring momentary victories, but creates a powerful reserve for the future.

The organizer of the competition is the Khabarovsk Regional Table Tennis Federation with the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Far Eastern Federal District, the Ministry of Sports of Russia, as well as the government of the Khabarovsk Territory. Competitions are held for the first time and have already been included in the unified calendar plan of the regional ministry of sports.

– Today in the sports capital of the Khabarovsk Territory – the city of Khabarovsk, athletes from eleven regions of the Far East have gathered. Thanks for taking the time to come. Many thanks to your coaches and mentors for preparing you. I wish you all success, and most importantly, remember that this platform is not only for identifying the strongest, but in order to be strong and forever friends, – noted at the opening Dmitry Chikunov, Minister of Sports of the Khabarovsk Territory.

Two days in the UKCC will be held preliminary meetings, and the final will take place this Thursday, August 3rd. By the way, admission is free for spectators.

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