Vanuatu table tennis aims for 7 gold medals

The Vanuatu table tennis team is prepared to meet with other competing countries that will be participating in the Pacific Mini Games in Port Vila from next week.

The Table Tennis Interim-President, James Malao, says that for this year’s Mini Games, the final team will be finalized this week, with last weekend’s test event showing how the players have been contributing in their training sessions, attendance, characters and their performance.

“In the meantime, we are having our three para table tennis players, they were the finalist, but for the table tennis, there are going to be eight finalists that will later be announced.

“Also team Vanuatu Table Tennis are very fortunate to have a Chinese coach, Li-Ling Jong, who is not new to the team, first coaching team down to Pacific Games in Fiji 2006,” said Malao.

Mr Malao said following their five months training in China, the team’s aim is to get seven gold medals during this Games.

“Compare this year’s mini games with the Cook Island Pacific Games in 2009 – they won five Gold – so in this year’s Mini Games the aim is for table tennis is to get seven gold for Vanuatu” he said.

The team will take part in competitions for single male and female, double male and female, mixed team event, para table tennis – standing and wheelchair, with a total of seven events altogether.