09/02/2010 2010 First Youth Olympic Games

The inaugural Youth Olympic Games is now over.

It is resigned to history but for those who were present in Singapore, the experience of having competed in the event will live for ever

Certainly that is the situation for Alice Loveridge.

She was Great Britain's only table tennis representative in the Youth Olympics.

An "incredible experience" is how the young lady from Guernsey described gathering in Singapore when interviewed by the BBC for their sport website http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2

 08/27/2010 2010 First Youth Olympic Games

Men’s Singles silver medallist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, eight years later with Patrick Chila the Men’s Doubles bronze medallists and, in the intervening years, a host of titles including being crowned World champion in Gothenburg in 1993; Jean-Philippe Gatien of France was the athlete role model at the recently completed Youth Olympic Games.

It was a new innovation, a new experience for the Frenchman and one which most certainly he enjoyed.

Following the conclusion of proceedings on Thursday 26th August 2010, he spoke to Hubert Guériau, the ITTF Media Manager on duty in Singapore.

 08/26/2010 2010 First Youth Olympic Games

It is now time to reflect, to appraise the Youth Olympic Games; to take heed from the lessons learnt and to build for two years time.

There are always items that can be improved and, whatever the subject in question, the target must be to make the next better than the one that went before. Keep climbing the never ending ladder must always be encouraged.

However reflecting on the events just concluded, the atmosphere in the table tennis arena was positive as was that of Adham Sharara, President of the International Table Tennis Federation, when interviewed by Hubert Guériau, the ITTF Media Manager for the event.

 08/26/2010 2010 First Youth Olympic Games

The Youth Olympic Games was a new concept, it introduced new ideas, it was innovative and, in this respect, table tennis was no exception.

Competition started with the singles event, played in three stages, the first two phases being on the group principle; that in itself was a departure from the norm.

However, it was the Team competition that was the major innovation; two players in a team was not unusual but the fact that the outfits comprised one boy and one girl was certainly very different.

 08/26/2010 2010 First Youth Olympic Games

The table tennis events at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games are now over. Always in such major events there are years, months, days and hours of preparation; yet in a flash it is all over. Time flies and it always seem to fly at such occasions.

Now is a time for reflection and one man who can reflect with pride at a very successful initiative is Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee.

 08/26/2010 2010 First Youth Olympic Games

Represented by 15 year old Koki Niwa and 16 year Ayuka Tanioka, Japan secured the gold medal in the Team event at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore on Thursday 26th August 2010.

They beat the Korean partnership of Kim Dong Hyun and Yang Ha Eun in a electrifying contest that brought matters in the table tennis events to an exciting conclusion.

Koki Niwa and Ayuka Tanioka recorded a two matches to one victory over the Korean partnership of Kim Dong Hyun and Yang Ha Eun with every match in the fixture being decided in full five games duels.

 08/26/2010 2010 First Youth Olympic Games

In all six contests involving the partnership of China’s Gu Yuting and Tunisia’s Adem Hmam the end result in the Team event at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore was a two matches to one verdict.

Furthermore, every match followed the same pattern.

Gu Yuting, who earlier in the proceedings secured the gold medal in the Girls’ Singles event, won the opening match before Adem Hmam, despite straining ever sinew and performing most admirably, suffered.

The outcome always rested on the doubles.