Japan will be hosting the 2014 World Team Championship - Table Tennis News
The decision to hold the 2014 World Team Championships in Japan was made at the Annual General Meeting of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) held at Rotterdam, Netherlands on Tuesday, May 10.
Japan faced one of the worst natural calamities earlier in March this year. Many mega sporting and entertainment events were either postponed or moved to some other venue due to the disaster. ITTF moved a step ahead and marked an example for other organisations
as well.
The one man who really played an integral part in the decision was Japanese Koji Kimura. He is the Executive Vice President of the ITTF and himself a former table tennis Champion. He has won four gold medals at the World Championships. Kimura won the first
gold medal in the Men's Doubles category along with Nobuya Hoshino in 1961 and the Mixed Doubles title partnering with Kasuko Ito. Later he won the Mixed Doubles again in 1965 with his compatriot Masako Seki.
The fourth gold medal Koji Kimura won was in 1967 but he was not that excited to win as strong competition was absent in the championship. The Chinese did not feature in the championship due to the Cultural Revolution. After 1967 Koji Kimura did not play
in any further table tennis championship.
Table tennis has brought players together as they stand united to extend their complete support to the victims of the earthquake and resulting tsunami. A disaster that swept away the coastal towns of the country, many lost their lives and millions lost their
homes. Sendai was the worst affected area of the country. Ai Fukuhara, who is from this location, is participating in the current championship. The 2014 World Team Championship will be held at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo.
In 1983, World Championship was held at the same venue. Kimura remembers the event clearly as he was a part of the management team during the championship. The tournament was graced by Roy Evans and Ivor Montagu that year. Evans remained the President of
the ITTF during 1967 to 1987. Ivor was the first President of the ITTF and held the seat for an incredible 41 years.
Kimura recalled the memories of the championship and said, “Ivor Montagu came and so did Roy Evans. I was responsible for the international relations and the meetings, I think we had about 25 meetings to arrange not like the 60 meetings we have today! I
was so busy at those Championships, I hardly saw any table tennis, I remember Japan did not win a gold medal!”
The Japanese will be looking forward for the World Championships. It will be the first mega table tennis event to be staged after the disaster that hit the country.
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