Loi leads group to China

By JACK AMI
FOUR Papua New Guinea table tennis players travel to Shanghai, Chnia today to take up a three-month scholarship.
The players are Commonwealth Games representative Geoffrey Loi, 18, Gasika Sepa, 24, Albert Arua Lohia, 17, and David Loi, 22.
All four are part of the PNG Table Tennis elite squad and are gold medal prospects for the 2019 Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa.
The scholarship was sponsored by Shanghai University of Sports, the China Table Tennis Federation and Chinese Government in agreement with the PNG Table Tennis Federation.
The four return home in September and will conitnue preparing for the Apia Games.
PNGTTF president George Shao said this was the first time for table tennis players from PNG to be put in a scholarship programme and showed China’s willingness to help develop the sport in the Oceaniaregion.
“This scholarship sets a benchmark for China’s assistant for table tennis in PNG and is a stepping stone for the players to train, play experience the skill and interact with Chinese players,” Shao said.
“As the president of PNGTTF I’m proud of the scholarship which will develop and improve the standard and level of the athletes to be competitive on the regional and international level.
“I thanked the Shanghai University of Sports, China Table Tennis Federation and Sports Ministry for their focus and target to fund this excellent scholarship.”
Team PNG Table Tennis head coach Rea Loi added that the training in China was well advanced as ‘ping pong’ originated in China.
Loi said with the partnership and friendship with the China Table Tennis Federation PNG’s athletes (both male and female) would excel.
For more information on the PNG Table Tennis Federation or the team travelling to China, president George Shao can be contacted on 7263 1772 or 7633 8803.