Posts in category: TTI News

Further to our collaboration, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown LSP & Table Tennis Ireland have strengthened their partnership and developed and delivered more collaborative projects.

A Young Leaders Award programme was completed at St Raphaelas Girls Secondary School Dun Laoghaire in June, in which 16 girls participated in a 6-week training programme. This course was provided to students who were doing their PE Certificate. The course not only provided students with basic table tennis skills, but most importantly provided training in female empowerment. The young girls took part in a Sports Psychology (Mental Toughness) session, learnt managerial skills, organising a fun session with a group of 24 girls from a local Primary School. As a follow up to the Programme, a Teacher’s Award course was delivered on 12th October when 8 new female coaches were qualified and gave very positive feedback. 3 coaches expressed interest in taking further coach education by joining a Level One Coaching Course.

To ensure the sustainability of the work done at St. Raphaelas, TTI has agreed to supply a coach on a weekly basis to help establish an after-school TT Club at the school. Plans have been agreed for club sessions to start in January 2023.

Following the success of this collaborative project, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown LSP and TT Ireland will run 2 more similar projects in the region. I would like to take this opportunity to thank DLR partnership, especially Shane and Kevina for all their support. Without their help it would not be possible for us to deliver the project so smoothly.

Coach Niall O’Flaherty held a fantastic participation workshop in TUS Athlone on Friday the 11th of November.

Many students and staff took part throughout the day and gave table tennis a go. Lots of fun and engagement from all participants at all sessions, well done to all! The participants were thoroughly engaged and got plenty of tips and tricks from Niall.

There is plenty of interest within the community to continue and grow the sport within Athlone, and to take part in some local competitions.

A big thank you to Niall for coaching and to Sinead from TUS Athlone for arranging the great open day.

The International Testing Agency (ITA) is hosting a series of webinars, inviting the entire table tennis family. The aim crystal clear: to advance the cause of keeping sport clean.

Players, coaches and all involved are strongly advised to attend the webinars; conducted in English, simultaneous translation being available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.

It is important that participants sign up for each session using the links below as they are stand-alone webinars.

All five sessions commence at 13.00 and last for one hour.

Register here:

• Thursday 10th November: Introduction to anti-doping: overview of the system, rights and responsibilities, ADRVs: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wT-Dm9xGSkShNGbPGa5IUQ
• Thursday 17th November: The Doping Control Process: includes testing procedures (urine and blood) and ABP: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JkKUG–4SlOyRg_ftn7mCg
• Thursday 24th November: Medications, Supplements, Prohibited List and TUEs: includes the Principle of Strict Liability: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_t_9H9pg7SnGaRRFeV165vA
• Thursday 1st December: Principles and Values of Clean Sport: includes sanctions, consequences and speaking up: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3y2FQIpmQnKt1lTBLbFtvQ
• Thursday 8th December: Out-of-Competition Testing: Includes requirements of RTP/TP, whereabouts, use of ADAMS: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZHBdVGuoTc2JiRZ7iYJMIg

Jing Yi Graham has delivered a fantastic roadshow with Wicklow Sports Partnership on the 10th and 11th of November, travelling across Wicklow to deliver engaging sessions across schools, clubs, sports hubs.

A Total of 200 children and adults participated in the Taster Sessions, Open evening coaching and exhibition session.

Lots of fun and engagement from all participants, well done to all! Plenty of interest with schools to continue and grow the sport within Wicklow.

Well done to all involved, a great few events across County Wicklow on Thursday and Friday with plenty of engagement. Thank you to Jing Yi Graham for delivering the session. A massive thank you to Ashley and all in Wicklow Local Sports Partnership for organising this fantastic roadshow with the schools, clubs and participants! We are looking forward to continuing collaborating to grow table tennis in Wicklow.

There were fireworks galore at the Guy Fawkes night Des Flanagan Investment Solutions
County Antrim Table Tennis Open held Ballymena Academy.

The Over 60s and Over 40s events dominated the morning and early afternoon sessions
with top seed Sean McAnaney qualifying from his group to defeat Lisburn legend Jimmy
Robinson in the quarter final, Banbridge’s Arnold Morgan in the semi-final and Omagh’s
Jeremy Lappin in a hard-fought final. The over 40s was won by Ormeau’s Daryl Strong
who qualified from his group to play Letterkenny’s Bert McCloy in the last 16, Kingsland’s
Gus Agnew in the quarter final, team mate and top seed Philip Wallace in the semi-final
and Omagh’s financial guru and tournament sponsor Des Flanagan in the final.

The late afternoon and evening sessions was set aside for the Open event with an
excellent turn out of players ensuring a late conclusion to the days’ proceedings. The
eventual winner, top seed Tom Colvin from Craigavon, played an exciting attacking style
of table tennis enthralling all onlookers with his table tennis skills, most especially the large
Craigavon player contingent who supported him throughout the day. After qualifying from
his group Tom played Des Flanagan in the last 16, Ormeau’s eleven-year-old world
ranked sensation Peader Sheridan in the quarter final, Ballymoney starlet Adam Faulkner
in the semi-final and reigning County Antrim champion Conor Nugent in the final. Well
played Tom on a great day’s play.

Each of the competitions had a consolation event for those not making the top two places
in the group stages. The Over 60s consolation was won by Portadown’s Barry Dixon who
defeated Banbridge’s spin king Jimmy Sterling in a close final. The Over 40s Consolation
was won by Craigavon’s Wai Tat Som who defeated local Ballymena anti-loop specialist
Vladimir Brzak in the final. The Open Consolation was won by Ormeau’s Junior Close
who defeated Ballyclare’s Peter Baird.

The Ballymena TT Club, who hosted the County Antrim Open, would like to thank Mr Des
Flanagan for his generous sponsorship, Ballymena Academy for the use of their
gymnasium and to every player who participated in the event, making it such a success.
Umpires, Messrs Brown, McAllister, Sterling, Lappin and Morgan deserve special mention
too for their assistance throughout the day.

The next tournament in the Ulster Table Tennis calendar is the Ulster
Open on the 26th November: an extravaganza celebrating one hundred years of table
tennis in Northern Ireland. The Ballymena TT Club intend to hold an Adult Challenger and
Veterans event on the 10th December as part of its Christmas Schedule with the possibility
of an Open Doubles event also being mooted before the club’s well-deserved Christmas
break.

Fireworks galore at Guy Fawkes Day County Antrim Table Tennis extravaganza in Ballymena

Seniors
1st TOM COLVIN
2nd CONOR NUGENT
3rd DARYL STRONG / ADAM FAULKNER

Over 40s
1st DARYL STRONG
2nd DES FLANAGAN
3rd PAUL GALLAGHER / PHILIP WALLACE

Over 60s
1st SEAN MCANANEY
2nd JEREMY LAPPIN
3rd FERGAL O’HAGAN / ARNOLD MORGAN