England squads announced for Tokyo

March 11, 2014
12:00 am
Other Events

The England squads for the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Tokyo Japan (April 28 – May 5 2014) have been announced following the completion of the Senior National Championships. England’s men and women will once again travel in the

The England squads for the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Tokyo Japan (April 28 – May 5 2014) have been announced following the completion of the Senior National Championships.

England’s men and women will once again travel in the hope of securing a long sought-after promotion to the Championships Division to return to the top tier of world table tennis for the first time this century.

Men’s no. 1 and now two-time English National Champion 20-year-old Liam PITCHFORD will lead the challenge following his successful campaign in Sheffield last weekend. He’ll be supported by 31-year-old Andrew BAGGALEY 24-year-old Paul DRINKHALL and 18-year-old Sam Walker in the four-man squad.

The women’s no. 1 and 2 Kelly Sibley and Joanna DRINKHALL for so long unseperable at international level will once again lead the charge for success in the Challenge Division of the women’s team event. Sibley 25 and DRINKHALL 26 will be joined by 22-year-old Hannah HICKS and 15-year-old Tin-Tin HO.

At the last team world championships held in Dortmund (GER) 2012 neither the men nor women could earn a place at the highest level. The men came the closest and only missed out following a 3-2 defeat to India while the women suffered at the hands of Italy and India in the group stages to cut short their campaign.

The World Team Table Tennis Championships will also act as the last major event begin considered before the final squads for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014 are announced. A team promotion in Tokyo could have positive ramifications for a place in the squad for Scotland in the summer.

England Squads at 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championships – Tokyo Japan (April 28 – May 5 2014)

Men: Liam PITCHFORD (Chesterfield) Andrew BAGGALEY (Milton Keynes) Paul DRINKHALL (Loftus Cleveland) and Sam WALKER (Worksop).

Women: Kelly SIBLEY (Leamington Spa) Joanna DRINKHALL (Chertsey) Tin-Tin HO (Paddington London) and Hannah HICKS (Andover).

Istanbul 2027 among key topics at meeting between ETTU President MOURA and Prof. Dr. Veli Ozan ÇAKIR

During his visit to WTT Feeder Istanbul, ETTU President Pedro MOURA met with Prof. Dr. Veli Ozan ÇAKIR, President of Türkiye Olympic Committee, also ITTF Executive Vice President and director...

Metz TT carrying confidence and unfinished business into Final 4

Metz TT will arrive in Tarnobrzeg with confidence, experience and perhaps more importantly, the feeling that this group may finally be ready to take the last step in the ETTU...

Tarnobrzeg ready for Final 4 both on and off the table

For Zbigniew NĘCEK, the upcoming ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 is far more than another major European event. It is the result of decades of work, development and belief...

UCAM Cartagena TM chasing history at first-ever ETTU Champions League Final 4

Among the emerging forces in European women’s club table tennis, UCAM Cartagena TM arrive at the ETTU Champions League Women Final 4 carrying both momentum and belief after one of...