DESPITE setbacks, the Fiji Table Tennis Association has managed to send some of its national squad members to competitions overseas in the past few days.
The association is without a national coach and no financial support for its national team preparing for the Pacific Games.
President Anthony Ho said support from the members had enabled them to send some of their top players to international meets.
“We have been raising money through coin drives and other activities including the team Fiji lottery but these were all eaten up in the hefty player levy we have to pay in advance for the Pacific Games,” Ho said.
“To make it harder we have had to contribute for our National Para team which was not initially budgeted for.
“We have had to borrow money from friends to cover the $21,000 in airfares to Australia as well as accommodation, entry fees and meals and transport amounting to a further $10,000.”
Ho said they were facing difficulty in getting corporate bodies to support the team.
“All our executives including myself are also helping out with coaching in absence of a national coach,” he said.
“We have been knocking on many doors including our corporate sector but it seems they are more interested in supporting other sports and social events and not minor sports.
“We must acknowledge the support of BSP, Pacific Energy, ATH Vodafone Foundation who have assisted but all our savings here have gone towards our day to day running, development programs and Pacific Games levy.”
The younger members of the national squad travelled to Gold Coast, Australia for the World Junior Circuit event with national team member, Chris Lal acting as coach and Julia Koi, as manager.
The four-member team scooped three bronze medals in the under-15 boys teams, U15 boys doubles and U15 girls doubles in a very strong field that had world rated players from China, Korea as well as Australia and New Zealand.
“China dominated in all the events with Korea coming second and Australia and Fiji claiming bronze,” Ho said.
The first ever national para table tennis team of Mere Roden, Akanisi Latu, Sainimili Naivalu (all wheelchair women), Francis Chung (wheelchair men) and John Tauni Christopher (ambulant men) is taking part in the ITTF Oceania Cup and ITTF Oceania Para Table Tennis Championships in Australia which ended last night.
Fiji managed a silver medal in the wheelchair women’s singles after Roden defeated Australia number one Rosalie Turnbull before losing to Lisa Di Toro.
In the Women’s Pacific Cup, 13-year-old Grace Yee settled for bronze medal losing in a hard fought semi-final to top seed Melveen Richmond of Tahiti.
“All Fiji players had qualified from the round robin groups and most had reached the quarterfinal stages in the Pacific Cup,” Ho added.
