Tracing the history of table tennis in London and in the Olympic Games from the very first discussions to the 2012 Games; “London to London, Table Tennis Comes Home” was officially launched at the St Bride Institute in London on the evening of Thursday 26th July 2012.
Published to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic Games, the book provides an in depth and detailed insight into the events and personalities that led to establishment of the International Table Tennis Federation and the inexorable link with London.
Never forgetting the link with England’s capital city, the book takes table tennis from a Victorian Parlour Game to a global sport, from a pastime to an athletic endeavour.
Facts have been unearthed that will make you smile, gasp and cringe; equally the statistics provide the who’s who of Olympic table tennis.
Furthermore, the establishment of table tennis from the very first tentative steps to the present day situation is related with biographies of all table tennis gold medalists included and the names of all who have competed included.
Colin Clemett The research is primarily the work of Colin Clemett.
He is a life member of the English Table Tennis Association in addition to being a Personal Honorary Member of the International Table Tennis Federation.
The Ultimate Arbiter In the world of officiating, Colin Clemett is the ultimate arbiter; always he gives a calm and calculated answer and no-one can match his record of unstinting service in England.
He became a member of the English Table Tennis Association’s Umpires and Referees Committee in 1957; he was appointed Secretary in 1959 and still holds the post today.
Corti Woodcock The mentor for Colin Clemett was Corti Woodcock, he was the Secretary of the St Bride Institute in London’s Fleet Street, the building where the early discussions to form the English Table Tennis Association took place.
Established in 1923, table tennis was offered as one of the activities at the St Bride Institute, the club continued until the 1980s and is linked with the International Table Tennis Federation.
The St Bride Vase In 1929 Corti Woodcock donated the St Bride Vase; it is awarded to the winner of the Men’s Singles event at the World Championships.
Presentation Furthermore, special presentations were made to Belgium’s Jean-Michel Saive and Croatia’s Zoran Primorac in recognition of having now competed in all seven Olympic Games when table tennis has been staged.
Sweden’s Jörgen Persson, the one other player who will have competed in all seven Olympic Games when table tennis has been staged was unfortunately not able to attend.
All three are featured in the book which contains 248 pages, over 240 photographs from the present and yesteryear.
Contact The book is available by contacting the offices of the International Table Tennis Federation in the ExCeL Arena.
Alternatively contact: International Table Tennis Federation Headquarters and Olympic Office Chemin de la Roche 11 1020 Renens / Lausanne Tel: 44 21 340 7090 Fax: 41 21 340 7099
