GTTA President targets 2020 Olympic participation

Accra, Aug. 23, GNA - The President of the Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), Mr. Mawuko Afadzinu, has said, his outfit has set sight on qualifying and winning medals at the 2020 Olympic Games to be staged in Tokyo.

Mr. Afadzinu told the GNA Sports at the climax of the National Table Tennis league, where the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) won the Men's category after amassing 58 points ahead of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Police Service whilst the Police Service emerged winners in the Women's division on Saturday at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The president said he was impressed at the clubs performance in the league and that preparation will start towards participating at the next quadrennial gathering in Tokyo.

He added that, a mark has to be made in the 2020 Olympic Games, with the view that players should be in the China Academy for a year to enhance their performance.

Mr. Afadzinu said ''I have seen great transformation and validation in the league. We, however, need to create the environment and atmosphere in which the athletes' ability would blossom to become award winning talents. The target of the association is to go to the next Olympic Games.

'We have to build the foundation on consistency, exposure and training to encourage a lot more people to the discipline and give our players the impetus to perform at the highest level'.

He recalled that at the last all African Games, table tennis won the first bronze medal for Ghana however, he seeks to move beyond the bronze medal and for that to happen, support of the local activities would be needed with a lot more of international exposure.

On his part, to achieve the set target, the athletes' must be physically and psychologically fit.

GNA