Zimbabwe earns regional acclaim after hosting successful table tennis champs

MORE than three decades after last welcoming Southern Africa’s finest table tennis players, Zimbabwe has re announced itself on the regional sporting stage by delivering a memorable edition of the Southern Africa Regional Table Tennis Championships that has been hailed as one of the best organised in recent years.

From July 10 to 12, Glen City became the heartbeat of Southern African table tennis as elite athletes from across the region competed in an event that showcased not only world class competition but also Zimbabwe’s growing capacity to stage major international sporting events.

The championships, the first to be hosted by Zimbabwe since 1995, concluded with South Africa maintaining its regional supremacy by capturing the team and singles honours. Yet beyond the medals, the biggest winner was Zimbabwe itself after earning glowing praise from players, officials and the International Table Tennis Federation for its organisation, hospitality and professionalism.

Zimbabwe Table Tennis Union president Noah Ferenando described the championships as a defining moment for the sport in the country.

“We are extremely proud of what Zimbabwe has achieved. The feedback from the International Table Tennis Federation was overwhelmingly positive and confirms that we successfully delivered a tournament of international standard,” said Ferenando.

He credited the achievement to the collective efforts of the local organising committee, the Sports and Recreation Commission, the Ministry of Sport, the Government of Zimbabwe and sponsors who helped bring the event to life.

While Zimbabwe did not finish on the podium, Ferenando said the performances on the tables reflected the steady progress being made within the national programme.

“The improvement is evident. A few months ago our results were not as competitive, but now our players are matching the strongest teams in the region. We are building something sustainable and the signs are very encouraging,” he said.

The union believes the appointment of a high performance coach earlier this year has already begun transforming the team’s competitiveness, with expectations that continued investment will soon translate into medals.

Ferenando said Zimbabwe’s long term vision is to emulate countries such as South Africa, whose sustained investment in junior development and professional structures has produced consistent regional success.

“We know where we want to go. This tournament has shown us that we are moving in the right direction and we remain committed to developing our athletes from grassroots level.”

He acknowledged that financial support remains essential after organisers mobilised approximately US$70,000 to stage the championships.

“Events of this magnitude require significant resources, but we have demonstrated that Zimbabwe can successfully host competitions at this level. We hope this achievement will attract more partners to support the growth of table tennis.”

South African men’s singles champion Luke Abrahams was among those impressed by the tournament, describing it as an outstanding experience.

“Everything was well organised. The venue, the hospitality and the atmosphere were excellent. We really appreciate the effort Zimbabwe put into hosting us,” he said.

Abrahams also applauded the rising standard of competition across Southern Africa, noting that Zimbabwe continues to close the gap on the region’s established powers.

He secured his third regional singles title after helping South Africa recover from a two match deficit to overcome Angola in a thrilling men’s team final.

“I really enjoyed being here. Zimbabwe made this tournament special and I would definitely love to come back.”