Member Associations | 14 Dec 2022

Lithuanian Table Tennis Association 95th Anniversary

The Lithuanian table tennis association is celebrating the 95th anniversary this year. A large table tennis community, political representatives, sports supporters, and other distinguished guests came to the Novotel Vilnius Center restaurant in Vilnius to celebrate this occasion.

The event was exceptional and during it Ruta GARKAUSKAITE-PASKAUSKIENE, one of the most titled and famous table tennis players in the history of Lithuanian table tennis, officially announced the end of her sporting career.

The athlete has become the Lithuanian champion 33 times, the silver medalist of the world junior and world student championships, won as many as 18 European championship medals (7 gold, 2 silver and 9 bronze), and participated in three Olympic Games - Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000), Beijing (2008). In 1996, she was elected the Best Student Athlete of Lithuania, as well as student athlete of the decade (1990–2000).

It must be highlighted that the very first Ruta’s trainer was her mother Romualda GARKAUSKIENE, who laid the foundation for her exceptional career. A short documentary, titled ‘Ruta Garkauskaite-Paskauskiene’, was created by Renatas MIZERAS, to commemorate the glorious and victorious sports career of Ruta Garkauskaite-Paskauskiene.