TTA and Shanghai University of Sport/China Table Tennis College deliver seven-day training camp

Table Tennis Australia are proud to have worked alongside the Shanghai University of Sport/China Table Tennis College to deliver a seven-day training camp for some of our younger athletes from throughout the country. 

Athletes from across Australia have made the journey to Shanghai to take in a seven-day training camp, with coaches from the Shanghai University of Sport/China Table Tennis College, along with TTA's Simon Gerada and Melissa Tapper. 

The camp allows the athletes to spend dedicated time with fellow players and coaches, whilst training at high-quality venues. The standard training schedule provides approximately five hours of table time per day. This creates a strong foundation while still allowing flexibility to incorporate physical conditioning, service and receive work and individualised training elements. 

Coaches include former Olympians, World Champions, and experienced National Team members, all with a strong commitment to their craft. The overall standard, energy, and professionalism of the coaching group has been impressive. Zhang Yining, four-time Olympic gold medalist,has played her part in the camps with her level of expertise highlights the significant impact these camps can have. 

Aaron Zhang, TTA's Australia China Community Connect Officer said: "This initiative highlights the strength of collaboration between Table Tennis Australia and Shanghai University of Sport/China Table Tennis College. It is an important step in building long-term pathways for athlete development while fostering meaningful people-to-people connections between Australia and China.”

Connie Psihogios is amongst those in attendance at the camp, fresh from her performances at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London. 

Purposes of the camp extend beyond the high-level training, as it serves as preparation for the upcoming WTT Youth Contender and WTT Star Youth Contenders in Bangkok, Thailand, which will begin on Monday, 18 May. 

Performance and Pathways Lead Simon Gerada hailed the importance of the camps, stating: "The facilities in Shanghai are exceptional. From arrival through to daily training, meals, and accommodation, everything is organised to a high standard. This removes unnecessary stress and allows athletes to focus purely on performance. 

"A common misconception is that the goal is to train directly with the Chinese National Team. In reality, the greatest value comes from consistently training against athletes of a similar or slightly higher level. This provides meaningful match play, honest benchmarking, and the opportunity to test skills against unfamiliar opponents. 

Gerada continues by saying: "Shanghai offers strong diversity in playing styles, including Right-handed attackers, Left-handed players and Pimples and defensive styles. This variety is critical for developing adaptability and preparing our athletes for international competition." 

"Over the past 30 years, I have spent more than a year training across China in multiple cities. The Shanghai setup stands out as one of the most efficient, accessible, and well-structured environments available to us. It is a clean, dependable option that aligns well with our program needs." concludes Gerada.