The Central Region Table Tennis Players Association hosted a successful players’ reunion championship at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW).
The event which attracted over 50 table tennis enthusiasts from the region served as a platform to reunite both former and current players and discuss plans to revitalize the sport in the Central Region.
The action-packed event with loops and spins on display, saw 16 former players battle each other in the men’s singles. Ali Mohammed Wdrago won the gold medal, Francis Frimpong got the silver and the joint bronze medals were taken by Kwame Ampofo Addo and Reuben C.P Okine.
The mixed doubles also witnessed some cagey pairings.
Kwame Ampofo Addo/ Abigail Brew, Alexander Amankwah/Gina Hackman, Ali Mohammed(Wdrago)/Lucy Asabea Addo, and Gilbert Dadzie/Benedicta Dede Nartey, where the pair of Ali Mohammed/Lucy Asabea walloped Kwame Ampofo Addo/Abigail Brew 2-1 to win the ultimate.
As the convener, Francis Frimpong, a former player from the Central Region, now a certified International Technical Official of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), and lecturer in the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sports (HPERS) at UEW expressed gratitude to all the participants, the executives of Central Regional Table Tennis Association and the individual sponsors, Efia Oforiwaa Owusu-Agyei, GTTA Women’s coordinator, Akosua Ketu, Sarah Adams, Phil Dadzie, Gilbert Dadzie, Celia Baah Danso, Evans Amankwah, as well as the media and all who supported the event to make it a success.
He also acknowledged the immense support from the former players who played vital roles in the success of the event.
According to him, plans have been outlined to organize competitions to develop the sport in the Region.
“We have agreed to organise competitions for the younger ones in the region to be sponsored by the former stars, two of such competitions will be memorial championships for the late Coach Joe Owusu Addo, who was the ‘father’ of the Central Region table tennis and late coach Geoffery Narh, who was once a national team captain. They worked so hard to make Central Table Tennis a force to reckon with,” he said.
He, however, called on corporate entities, enthusiasts, and individuals to come on board to support the development and revitalization of table tennis in the Central Region.
The event also witnessed the attendance of Dr. Patrick Akuffo Boafo (Senior Lecturer) and former Technical Director of GTTA, Albert Kofi Bonney, Former Central Regional P.E. Coordinator, Koomson Andoh, Central Regional Table Tennis Coach, E. Essandoh, Former District P.E. Coordinator( Effutu, Awutu, Senya), Dr. Munkaila Seibu, Senior Lecturer, and Dr. Yayra Kluboito a lecturer both at Dept. of HPERS, and UEW and treasurer of the Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), William Berekorang Asare.