Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur attended the closing ceremony of the World Table Tennis Star (WTT) Contender Goa 2023 Tournament in Panaji. WTT Goa is the first World Table Tennis to be conducted in India and boasts of participation from an array of elite athletes, including world number 1 in Men’s rankings, Fan Zhendong. International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) President Petra Sorlingwas also in attendance.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said this was a proud moment for both Goa and India as a World Table Tennis event was being organized for the very first time in the country. He described how this was yet another milestone in the progress India has made in the world of sports under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Minister Anurag Thakur noted how the budget for Sports infrastructure and training had increased greatly under PM Modi’s leadership. He concluded his speech by encouraging parents to send their children out to play more and not limit them to the world of textbooks.
The Minister also presented the award for the Women’s Singles Champion to Wang Yidi. Hailing from China and ranked number 4 in global rankings, Wang Yidi defeated Cheng I-Ching in the finals by a score of 4-0. The tournament saw many twists and turns including Men’s World Number 1 Fan Zhendong losing to 193 ranked Cho Daeseong in the round of 32. The tournament also marked the first time a serving ITTF President has visited India.
