It was a day to remember at the Lusail Arena as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach arrived to experience the thrills of the ITTF World Championships Finals firsthand.
Welcomed with warm hospitality by ITTF President Petra Sörling, President Bach was in for quite the table tennis experience.
President Bach watched the Men’s Doubles quarterfinal clash between the Lebrun brothers and Sweden’s Mattias Falck and Kristian Karlsson alongside ITTF President Petra Sörling, ITTF Senior Executive Vice President and Qatar Table Tennis Federation President Khalil Al-Mohannadi, and ITTF Group CEO Steve Dainton, witnessing high-quality table tennis as the players battled for their semifinal places.
Once the quarterfinal drama concluded, President Bach went on a comprehensive tour of the spectacular Lusail Arena. The venue truly showcased why Qatar has become such a premier destination for international sporting events.
But the real magic happened when President Bach ventured into the bustling fan zone area. Walking through the various booths and displays, he found himself surrounded by excited fans who could not believe their luck at spotting such a distinguished visitor. The genuine enthusiasm from supporters clearly showed him just how passionate the table tennis community can be.
The day took on an even more personal touch when President Bach had the chance to meet Chinese star Chen Xingtong. Their warm handshake and friendly exchange perfectly captured the spirit of international sport bringing people together.
From there, the group made their way to the training hall, where President Bach got an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at elite preparation. Watching China’s phenomenal Sun Yingsha work through her training routine gave him an incredible insight into the dedication these world-class athletes put in day after day.
The visit concluded with President Bach and the officials witnessing some of the championships’ most compelling action. They observed Liang Jingkun’s upset victory over world number 1 Lin Shidong, before watching fan favourite Sun Yingsha defeat Japan’s Satsuki Odo in dominant fashion – providing a fitting finale to an extensive tour of the ITTF World Championships Finals.
