By Owami Sithole
After a two day competition played at the Harare International School this weekend, Zimbabwe Table Tennis Union (ZTTU) men‘s team won the Chinese Ambassador table tennis cup.
The ZTTU men’s team that played against the Chinese team won six games. The Chinese got consolation after their women’s team beat the Zimbabwe women’s team by winning 6 games to 1.
One of Zimbabwe‘s best seasoned players, Brian Chamboko, made it to the first place followed by Liping Wang who has also been playing for some time while Tinashe Tambira got the third position.
The Zimbabwe Women’s team played better on the first day after Isheanesu Siringwane (19) played well by winning both the single and mixed doubles.
Tian Dan of the Chinese women’s team scooped the first prize. Isheanesu Siringwane settled for the second place and Zhing Yang was third. In the Mixed team match, Liping Wang and Tian Dang lifted the gold medals.
Siringwane said the games were tough considering that it was her first encounter with the Chinese women’s team.
“The games were tough but I managed to win all my games on the first day. We are not going to despair after losing the final games. The games have helped us in perfecting our teams as we are also preparing for the Region Five Games in December which are to be held in Lesotho,” said Siringwane.
In an interview with Spiked Online Media the Secretary General of Zimbabwe Table Tennis Union Tinashe Duri expressed his gratitude to the Chinese Embassy as well as the organisers of the event and hailed cooperation from the participants.
“The opening day was great through to the end. The ladies should keep working hard. They had few days of camping in preparation for the tournament. Some of our players had to travel from as far as Bulawayo. As for the men‘s team I am happy. Winning shows commitment from both players and the coaches,” said Duri.
The Zimbabwe Chinese Table Tennis Association chairman Liping Wang commended both teams and said the games strengthen relations between the two countries through sport.
“I am happy with the progress we have made so far from the first Ambassador Cup tournament. This is now the third tournament. This will go a long way in building our relations through sport,” Wang said.
The Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe His Excellency Mr Guo Shaochum graced the tournament for the first time as well as officials from the Sports and recreation Commission and representatives of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe.
