Seychelles team in Japan for world champs |28 April 2014

The Seychelles table tennis team are in Japan to take part in the 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Tokyo.

Six Seychellois players – Mick Crea, Nicholas Esther, Bjorn Mousbé, Laura Sinon, Christy Bristol and Anniessa Benstrong – are taking part in the April 28-May 5 championships in the Yoyogi National Gymnasium and the Tokyo Gymnasium.

While Crea, Esther, Mousbé, Sinon and Bristol flew from Seychelles to Japan, Benstrong joined the team yesterday from China where she is studying.

The competition starts today after the draw was made on Saturday.

The men’s teams are competing for the Swaythling Cup donated in 1926 by Lady Baroness Swaythling, mother of Ivor Montagu, the first chairperson of the ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation).

According to the pundits, China are the clear favourites to retain their men's team title but will have to stave off strong competition from Germany, Japan and South Korea.

China are also the clear favourites to retain the women's team title but will be challenged by Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong China.

The women’s teams will be competing for the Corbillon Cup donated in 1933 by Marcel Corbillon, president of the French TTA, for the first Women's Team event at the 1934 World Championships.

More than 200 teams, consisting of 100 women’s teams and 121 men’s teams, from different countries will be taking part in the competition.

G. G.