10 nations to participate in ITTF Junior World Table Tennis Meet

Kolkata, May 29 (UNI) India will have its maiden International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) calender meet with a ten nation World Junior Circuit Table Tennis Championship commencing here from June 21.

Announcing this here today, West Bengal Table Tennis Association Principal Coordinator Probir Mitra said, ''For the first time International Table Tennis Federation has allotted World Junior Circuit Table Tennis event to India as an annual event.'' The first ever World Junior Circuit event in India, named the 2006 India Junior Open, will be held at Netaji Indoor Stadium, here, from June 21-24 ''He also announced the holding of an ITTF Elite Training camp also at the same venue from June 10-20.

''This would be a tournament involving SAF countries namely Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and India. The two top teams of this tournament will go to Japan for the Asian Junior meet,''he added.

The West Bengal Table Tennis Association will conduct these events under auspices of Table Tennis Federation of India.

''Indian players have performed brilliantly in the Junior Circuit events held earlier in countries like Canada, Qatar, China, etc.

Indian team will be participating in the Canada Junior Open prior to this tournament. This tournament will provide fillip to India's continuous pursuit to provide international exposure to more and more players at the Cadet and Junior level,'' he said.

''Iran, Russia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and host India will feature in the event. The winners will head for the world championship,'' he said.

''He said while India will have two teams in the tournament, others will have one team each. There would be both team and individual events,'' he added.

The total prize money for the tournament is USD 15,000.'' It's a world ranking event and the points gained will enhance their world ranking,'' he said.

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