China donates 200 table tennis tables to boost SA’s Olympic dream

It was time to slug it out on the table tennis court and less talk for Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie and Chinese ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng.

The closely contested match on Monday at the Freedom Park Heritage Site in Pretoria, began shortly after McKenzie received a donation of table tennis equipment – on behalf of the local sporting fraternity – from the Chinese embassy, with Wu challenging McKenzie to the court.

With both men dressed in dark suits after addressing a ceremony to officially hand over and receive the shipment, it was time for the burly McKenzie to prove himself better than Wu – ironically the Chinese are world-renowned table tennis gurus.

World-renowned table tennis gurus

“Good game,” said a laughing but relieved McKenzie, who showed Wu his grip and swerve of bat was still strong as he won the game 5-4.

The equipment was donated by the General Administration of Sport of China and the Chinese Table Tennis Association.

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Wu said in China, table tennis was “our national sport – not only because of the country’s achievement in the competition – but because it was very popular across cities, villages, communities and schools – making it accessible.

“With South Africa having held a successful table tennis championship in Durban in May 2023, after 84 years, this marked a milestone for the return of table tennis in South Africa and in the African continent.

“This has encouraged your people to take up table tennis – making it popular.

Making table tennis popular

“China and South Africa have unique strengths in the field of sports. Table tennis and kung fu are iconic representation of Chinese culture.

“South Africa excels in rugby and football,” said Wu. He implored McKenzie to “help us in training our rugby teams – men and women”.

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“Only through a cultural exchange in sports, can young people experience each other’s cultures. These exchanges deepen the China-South Africa friendship – making it to flourish.”

McKenzie lauded SA Table Tennis board president Joe Carrim, saying table tennis “has been kept alive by your spirit”.

Keeping spirit alive

“I would like to thank you for having dedicated your life to the sport of table tennis,” he said.

“You have given some of us who cannot play rugby or soccer an opportunity to shine.”

Referring to the upcoming Los Angeles Olympic Games, McKenzie said: “In our country, we are going to have Project 350.

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“A country as big as South Africa cannot only be taking 100 athletes to the Olympics.

“Project 350 means that we are planning to take 300 abled athletes and 50 with disabilities, to Los Angles Olympic Games for the first time.

“Table tennis is playing a major role in ensuring that we take more people to the Olympics.

Olympic dreams

“This gift from the People’s Republic of China is playing a greater role in us fulfilling the task we have set for ourselves.”

Carrim thanked China for “a generous donation – 200 tables, which we are trying to get to every district of the country”.

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“Working with MultiChoice, we are ensuring that kids receive table tennis training in schools. “The impact of this donation has far more impact than just the tables,” said Carrim.

“In the past, we had Chinese table tennis coaches here at the High-Performance Centre, with stars emerging from such a programme – showing that with a dedicated programme we can make it.”