Table Tennis Canada announces the eight athletes selected for 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OTTAWA, September 1, 2010 – Table Tennis Canada and Commonwealth Games Canada today confirmed the athletes and coaches named to Team Canada for the XIXth Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India from October 3-14.
Olympians Pradeeban Peter-Paul and Mo Zhang will guide a young Canadian team. Both are Pan American Games medalists (2007, Rio de Janeiro), have previous Commonwealth Games experience (2006, Melbourne) and have also both recently won the North American Championships.
The team will be led by new National Coach, Yongjun Duan, a quadruple medalist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
“I really enjoy the amazing athleticism of table tennis and we’ve got some superb players on this team,” said Chef de Mission Martha Deacon. “Table tennis is hugely popular in Asia, so the competition should be phenomenal.”
“Our younger athletes will face a steep learning curve at the Games,” said Tony Kiesenhofer, Director General of Table Tennis Canada. “However, there are some legitimate medal chances in the women's singles, where Mo Zhang will need to fend off strong opposition from the World Champions from Singapore and from host India. In women’s doubles, Mo Zhang and Sara Yuen have consistently performed well in the Commonwealth arena. The men are in a position to challenge for a medal in the Team event.”
Athletes named by Table Tennis Canada to Team Canada for the 2010 Commonwealth Games were selected after the Canadian Championships in Calgary, July 16-18, the last leg of a multi-competition selection process.
Men:
- Pradeeban PETER-PAUL Ottawa, ON
- Pierre-Luc HINSE Gatineau, QC
- Xavier THERIEN Gatineau, QC
- Andre HO Richmond, BC
Women:
- Mo ZHANG Ottawa, ON
- Sara YUEN Ottawa, ON
- Carmen LEE Vancouver, BC
- Anqi LUO Mississauga, ON
Coaches:
- Junya CHEN Mississauga, ON
- Yongjun DUAN Ottawa, ON
All selected athletes will compete in the singles, doubles and mixed doubles events. The pairs competing in doubles, as well as the three athletes selected to compete in the team event, will be decided at a later date.
Pierre-Luc THÉRIAULT and Marie-Andrée LÉVESQUE have been named as alternates.
Interviews with individual athletes and coaches can be arranged by contacting Mireille Tallon, Technical Coordinator, Table Tennis Canada, mireillet@ctta.ca.
The Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games will be the world’s largest multi-sport competition this year, drawing more than 4,000 athletes from 71 nations and territories. For more information on Team Canada, visit www.commonwealthgames.ca.
About Table Tennis Canada
Table Tennis Canada is a Canadian sport federation responsible, with their provincial partners, for the development and growth of the sport of table tennis in Canada.
About Commonwealth Games Canada
Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) is the international franchise holder for the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth movement in Canada, and an active, contributing member of the Canadian sport community. The mission of Commonwealth Games Canada is to strengthen sport within Canada and throughout the Commonwealth, by participating in the Commonwealth Games and by using sport as a development tool.
Mireille Tallon
Technical Coordinator, Table Tennis Canada
(613) 733-6272
mireillet@ctta.ca
Derek Johnston
Commonwealth Games Canada Communications
(613) 837-3377
derek@face-value.ca
