ITTF Rough Diamonds, setting a new standard for the future

ITTF Rough Diamonds, setting a new standard for the future

The 2017 ITTF Education & training season moves on with the first Rough Diamonds training camp of the year. Despite specifically addressing young talented players in the U13-U15 age group, this prestigious event additionally embraces a very special group of 15-17 year-old players training to compete at the  2018 Youth Olympic Games. All with the future in mind…

Rough Diamonds and With the Future in Mind players ready to boost their performance in Slovenia. Group photo by Polona Cehovin

It was a day to remember when 40 talented players from 21 nations met in Otocec. Under the guidance of a multidisciplinary  team composed by Joze Urh, Andreja Ojstersek Urh and Vesna Ojstersek , both players and their coaches are expected to benefit from cutting-edge training and education.

The training camp will provide insights in subjects such as footwork, staying in control during rallies and long service.

Connection with ITTF World Junior Circuit events – Leveraging training with competition

Planning is the key to success. The ITTF Education & Training team drafted the program to maximize opportunities. The activity schedule allowed participants to attend the Croatia Junior & Cadet Open, in Varazdin, from  13 to 17 September 2017, immediately followed by the Slovenia Junior & Cadet Open, in Otocec, from 20 to 24 September. An additional competition opportunity is at hand just following the training camp, with a potential participation in the Serbian Junior & Cadet Open.

 

Rough Diamonds line up

The following Rough Diamonds athletes are part of the 2017 Rough Diamonds first group of talented players:

Girls

Isa COK (France), Wenna TU (Germany), Diya PARAG CHITALE (India), Elena Adriana ZAHARIA (Romania), Ekaterina ZIRONOVA and Elizabet ABRAAMIAN (Russia), Fadwa GARCI (Tunisia), Ece HARAC (Turkey), Amy WANG (USA)

Boys

Finn LUU (Australia), Olav KOSOLOSKY (Belgium), Mohamed AZZAM (Egypt), Jules CAVAILLE (France), PANG YEW EN Koen (Singapore), Nikhil KUMAR (USA)

With the future in mind line-up

With the Future in Mind 15-17 age group players (7 girls and 7 boys) have arrived to join the 1st 2017 Rough Diamonds Training Camp:

Girls

Andrea PAVLOVIC (Croatia), Nathaly PAREDES (Ecuador) Marwa ALHODABY (Egypt) Archana GIRISH KAMATH (India), Sabina SURJAN (Serbia), Jinnipa SAWETTABUT (Thailand), Su PEI-LING (Taipei)

Boys 

Youssef ABDELAZIZ (Egypt), Csaba ANDRAS (Hungary), Manav VIKASH THAKKAR (India), Amin AHMADIAN (Iran), Medardas STANKEVICIUS (Lithuania), Yanapong PANAGIGUN (Thailand), Nathael Elyes HAMDOUN (Tunisia)

Additional Players invited

ITTF Member Associations were invited and proposed additional high level players to join the training camp:

Girls

Marta VUKELIC, Hana ARAPOVIC (Croatia)

Boys

Skyy LUU, Daniel KOCJANCIC and Nicholas LUM (Australia), Radin KHAYYAM and Arya AMIRI (Iran), Youssef BEN ATTIA (Tunisia), Owen CATHCART (Ireland), Aditya GODHWANI and Victor LIU (USA)

Source : ITTF Education