Japan's women showed no mercy at all to South African players...
Miu HIRANO must have established a record today...
Yeah, I was just talking to SA women's number 1 few mins ago
2 of them played against Japanese players in Durban 2023 and it wasn't that bad
SA number 1 totaled 9 points, while the other 2, totaled 6 points over 6 games
With courtesy point gone, I am waiting for 33-0 games and Miu almost did it today lol
Well, all I can say, SA wasn't meant to take part at all.
Tunisia pulled out, and the 1st reserve also (Mauritius)
I'm not expecting SA to win again games in Busan
One of the players i'm helping (Rochica Sonday, 15 years old) didn't make the WTTTC team, but is going to the African Games after a lot of "fighting" for her to be included.
SA has some outdated policy that a junior can only play in her age group + 1 age group up.
So Rochica being good enough to be in the women's team, is not old enough to do so... but in league matches and other tournaments, she has wins against all of the women's team players and many of them in straights.
I have been advising many people who have voting powers that you need to have 14~16 years olds national champions, as the previous par is set too low. Need to raise the levels like what Japan has done and the policy of not allowing young talent to play in senior open is flawed.
Some times you just can't fix these outdated mentality as they like to stay with policys that are older than me.
I atleast am trying to tell them to allow national team juniors to play in all categories, as a perk for making national junior team.... I think that should be a nod on most peoples head here?
I hoping her club and I can raise funds for her to come train in Taiwan. Its basically airfare of around USD1500 x 2 (her and an adult, there is a good chance the adult can self fund) + "very little" spending money in Taiwan. I should be able to get her free accommodation and training at the top training center in the country.
one of the TPE national players has already donated new playing equipment for her
So hopefully Rochica will be one for the future.
Jade Sasman (who took 2 points against Miu to prevent a whitewash) was actually a top prospect when she was 14 year old too, but she left the sport very early (can't remember the age), and another player I helped 10 years ago also left around the age of 19 years old. Both to become moms..... the one I helped went to play a year in Paris before retiring to become a mom and work, and is now an airforce pilot. So I'm pretty happy she is flying high.
I hope Rochica is in a better environment to not be in the same path in terms of table tennis (this is a disadvantage of females athletes in a way)
It isn't easy in tough neighborhoods
