by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
The expert on duty was Jing Junhong, who as a player has a specially affinity with the Commonwealth Games; the first time that table tennis appeared in the multi-sport gathering was in 2002 in the English city of Manchester; on that occasion she won the Women’s Doubles title in partnership with Li Jiawei.
Now she is the Singapore Table Tennis Association’s Chief Coach for Youth Development.
A total of 25 students attended, 17 men and eight women, the youngest at 18 years old and the most senior at 59 years of age; all gained the necessary pass mark.
“It has been a good learning journey for me to be a Course Conductor. I feel honoured and delighted to share my experience and contribute to table tennis in Singapore.” Jing Junhong
Undoubtedly it was a very rewarding role for Jin Junghong who competed in three consecutive Olympic Games from Atlanta in 1996 to Greece in 2004; for many years she was the head coach of the Singapore Women’s Team and was instrumental in advising the player who upset China to win the Women’s event at the Liebherr 2010 World Team Championships in Moscow.
Additionally Jing Junhon played a major support role at the London 2012 Olympic Games when Feng Tianwei won bronze in the Women’s Singles event before joining forces with Li Jiawei and WangYuegu to secure the same colour in the Women´s Team competition.
Player now coach, in the latter having fulfilled a variety of roles, her efforts appreciated by World class players; now by those perhaps a level below who attended the ITTF/PTT Level One Coaches Course,
“The Para portion was useful because I never experienced it before and I feel it is quite challenging. The course was conducted in a very professional way with maximum knowledge.” Yeung Hin Choong, 58 years old, former Singapore national player
“All aspects of this course were useful because the information provided is simple but yet very detailed.” Alcalvie Ang Jun, 21 years old, former youth player
“The course allows me to explore different types of coaching style. At first, I never knew that it is so difficult to teach basic strokes to younger children as I never experience it before.” Tian Jingyi, 19 years old
A somewhat new role for Jin Junghong and just as she was as a player, notably being one of the very few to beat China’s legendary Deng Yaping, a feat she achieved at the 1993 World Championships in Gothenburg, she was most successful.
