Asian Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championships is an annual table tennis tournament regarded as continental championships between juniors and cadets. The Asian Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championships (AJCTTC) is one of the most prestigious events of the world junior table tennis circuit. It will be held under the supervision of the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) and International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). Cadet Championships was added in 1986 (2nd). The table below gives an overview of all host cities and countries of the Asia Junior Championships.
The tag contains information about all European Youth Championships, including champions, medal counts, brief information about tournaments, and tournament news.
History
After the Chinese Civil War, the rivalry between China and Taiwan extended into diplomatic spheres, including sports organizations. In the 1960s, Taiwan remained a member of the Table Tennis Federation of Asia (TTFA) but was not part of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). Conversely, China was a member of the ITTF but did not belong to the TTFA.
In 1968, the ITTF decided that only countries affiliated with the ITTF could join its continental branches. Taiwan chose not to join the ITTF because the federation refused to recognize Taiwan as part of China, even though Taiwan was recognized by the International Olympic Committee under the name "Republic of China."
In February 1971, TTFA delegates decided that the ITTF did not have the authority to dictate terms to the Asian organization and voted to maintain Taiwan's membership, which had been in place since 1957. This decision led to the resignation of TTFA President Koji Koto. Later, as the President of the Japan Table Tennis Association, Koji Koto promised China that he would work toward Japan's withdrawal from the TTFA and the formation of a new group in cooperation with the Chinese.
Junior Asian Championships were held by the TTFA in the 1960s, but Chinese players did not participate. Official results are available only in the ITTF statistical database for the years 1964, 1967, and 1970. These tournaments included four events: singles and team events for boys and girls in the U18 category. It is also speculated that these championships might have been held alongside senior Asian Championships, but this requires further verification.
On May 7, 1972, after a four-day meeting in Beijing, the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) was officially established, consisting of 16 member associations: Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, and North Vietnam. In 1975, the ATTU was officially recognized by the ITTF as the continental organization for Asia during its 33rd Congress in Kolkata.
In the 1970s, the ATTU continued organizing Junior Asian Championships. However, the results are only recorded in the ITTF statistical database for the years 1972, 1974, 1976, and 1980. These tournaments featured singles events for boys and girls in the U18 category. There is also speculation that these junior championships might have been part of senior tournaments, but further research is needed.
The first official Junior Asian Championship organized by the ATTU took place in 1983 in Manama, Bahrain. Since then, China has dominated the tournament, consistently winning titles in both individual and team events. Renowned Chinese players, such as Kong Linghui, Wang Liqin, Wang Nan, and Ma Long, began their careers with victories at this level.
In the early years, the championships were held every 2–3 years, and the structure of the tournament underwent several changes. For example, cadet events were held in the 1980s but discontinued in the 1990s. It was only from 2003 onwards that the championships became an annual event. From 2006 to 2013, team events for cadets were introduced, while the mixed doubles event for juniors was excluded. In 2014, the mixed doubles event was reinstated, and since then, the tournament has included seven junior events and four cadet events.
The 2020 championship was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the first such occurrence in the tournament's history. The 2021 championship was also canceled for the same reason.
The record holder for the most titles among girls is China's Qian Tianyi, who won 10 titles, including three in the prestigious singles category (in 2015 as a cadet and in 2016 and 2018 as a junior). Among boys, the most decorated player is China's Xu Yingbin, who claimed seven titles, including the junior singles championship in 2019.
