Welsh youngsters learn lessons from the table tennis masters

Gary Baker on 21/09/2012

No other country in the world plays more or is renown more for table tennis than China. So when four Welsh youngster had the chance to fly over there for two weeks, just hitting against any reasonable person must have been like a master-class.

Now those four teenagers are going to bring their experiences back to Wales and, hopefully, build on them towards bigger things in the future.

Ynysybwl's Jac Jenkins, Ryan Oyler, from Cardiff plus Tonyrefail's Callum Evans and Chris Griffiths, of Ferndale, were joined by Ryan's father and Cardiff regional coach Simon on their Chinese adventure.

And, in their two-week training camp, the players turned in some good performances as well as learning invaluable lessons.

Wales national coach Ryan Jenkins, father of Jac, said: "We had reports and they really enjoyed it. It is a double plus for us in that the players and Simon gained a lot of experience and knowledge. We have had challenge matches but lost them but it is a start for the players.

"We have asked Simon for a presentation to us. The way the Chinese play is very simple but very intense."

Asian players dominated the global table tennis competitions and have been the major force in the game for decades. Ryan added: "They are just phenomenal and it must be down to culture and the way they work."

For 13-year-old Jac and the rest, it was a great education in the land where table tennis is their national sport as much as football is in the UK.

Personally, said Ryan, Jac is certainly making waves, having won the Welsh Cadet Masters earlier this month by beating Callum Evans 3-2 in a tense final.

Jac, who has also been picked to represent Wales at the Hungarian Junior Open in Tata this November, has now cemented his place at the top of the Welsh Under-15 rankings.

His dad, a former multiple Welsh Commonwealth Games player and international, said: "His attitude has improved enormously. It will be hard for him with me as national coach and I don't want him to be too good too early. But he is coming along."

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