TABLE TENNIS

WITH the clock counting down for TT to meet the deadline for the ratification of players for the Commonwealth Games from April 4-15, the local Olympic Committee (TTOC) has come to the rescue of table tennis.

T&T’s Bob Roopnarine has been appointed honorary secretary of the Caribbean Regional Table Tennis Federation (CTTF) for the next two years after being proposed for the position by Guyana and seconded by Jamaica when the CRTTF held its annual general meeting during the ongoing 58th CRTTF Championship in Santo Domimgo, Dominican Republic on Monday.

This country will play host to the 59th Senior Caribbean Regional Table Tennis Federation (CRTTF) next year, the fourth time it will be hosting the event after doing so previously in 1996, 2002 and 2006.

BOTH Trinidad and Tobago teams picked up the bronze medals in their respective categories when the Caribbean Table Tennis Championships continued Monday in the Dominican Republic.

Trinidad and Tobago table tennis team left Piarco this morning for Surat, India via Barbados, London and Delhi to participate in the Table Tennis Commonwealth Championships.

The invention of table tennis is credited to the innovation of game manufactures such as English sports manufactures John Jaques & Sons that sought to market an indoor version of lawn tennis. Several unsuccessful proto types came before the final product, which included several board games and patented “table cricket” and “table football”.

The game became popular through out Europe and in 1926 the International Table Tennis Federation was formed and the first constitution and rules of table tennis were drafted and agreed upon. Millions around the world today enjoy table tennis both recreationally and professionally with many local, regional and international leagues and tournaments.

The sport became a well-respected Olympic sport in 1988 and the Commonwealth Games in 2002. Trinidad Table Tennis Association is the governing body in Trinidad and Tobago.