(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
The 28th Asian Table Tennis Team Championships, a big name on the international sports calendar, will take place in Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium from October 11 to 15, 2025.
This event is a joint effort by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU), the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), the Odisha Table Tennis Association, and the state’s Sports & Youth Services Department. It marks Odisha’s first time hosting the championships and the first time India has hosted the event in 16 years.
Nearly 500 players and support staff from 22 countries—India, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Bangladesh, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea—will compete. Both men’s and women’s teams will battle for the top honors.
The winners will earn places in the 2026 ITTF World Table Tennis Team Championships in London. Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj told reporters that top‑ranked international players will be in attendance. Among the Indian crew, women stars Sreeja Akula, Manika Batra, Diya Chitale, Yashaswini Ghorpade, and Swastika Ghosh will lead the women’s teams, while men’s teams will feature Ankur Bhattacharya, Payas Jain, Manush Shah, Snehit Suravajjula, and Manav Thakkar.
Teams have already arrived in Bhubaneswar and begun training. The state government has put in place world‑class playing facilities approved by ITTF, and it’s taken care of accommodation, hospitality and security for everyone.
The championship generated buzz in the city. A new trophy was unveiled on October 6, followed by a “Trophy Tour” that took the award to major tourist spots, colleges and shophouses in Bhubaneswar. The event has sparked excitement among sports fans and residents alike.
At the same time, the 40th National Junior Athletics Championship kicked off Friday at Kalinga Stadium, running until October 14. About 2,000 athletes from across the country are competing, including 75 from Odisha (38 men and 37 women).
Sports Minister Suraj expressed pride that Odisha is hosting major international and national tournaments simultaneously, underscoring the state’s growing reputation in the global sports arena. He highlighted Odisha’s world‑class infrastructure and its track record of hosting events such as the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze event at Kalinga Stadium in August.
Key figures present at the press conference included Sports & Youth Services Commissioner Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, ATTU Acting Regional Vice President Sheikh Hayat Al Khalifa, Tournament Director N. Ganeshan, and Olympian Padma Shri Achanta Sharath Kamal.
Source: aninews
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