24 Jan 2019

Staged in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, the city of Marilia was the recent home for an international training camp, proceedings concluding on Sunday 20th January.

Organised at the Nelson Machado Academy, following the motto “table tennis, a sport, a family”, the head coach was Portugal’s Abilio Cruz.

by Ian Marshall, Editor

Overall, the schedule lasted eight days, in total 48 hours of actual training involving no less than 85 players; in addition to São Paulo, players travelled from the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Parana and Minas Gerais.

Play was conducted on 22 Butterfly tables; some 2,000 balls were using 17 collection nets being provided for multi-ball sessions.

Importantly a comprehensive schedule was organized; the main task being to improve the techniques of the players and thus look forward to a successful 2019.
Local support was afforded by the Creative College, the Yara Club, the Marilia Medical Association, Unimed-Marília and the region’s Sports Directorate who provided no less than 50 mattresses for sleeping.

Very much underlining the fact that table tennis is the sport for all and now very much with an icon in the guise of Hugo Calderano, the initiative proved a great success. It was the 25th occasion when the training camp had been stage,

General News Abilio Cruz Nelson Machado