ttKUWAIT: Competition at Kuwait International Table Tennis Championship (Salwa Cup) came to its peak as the final matches for the youth U21 category for both men and women took place yesterday in a fierce exchange that ended with Brazil’s Hugo Calderano winning first place and the $5,000 prize, while second place went to Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit who was awarded $2500 for his efforts. Kuwait’s player Salem Al-Hassan lost to the Brazilian earlier with a score of 0-4.

Meanwhile in the ladies competition for the same category Japan’s Hina Hayata defeated her compatriot Honaka Hashimoto.

Tournament Director Sanad Al-Ajmi said everything is going as planned and all committees are performing as requested under the supervision of the International Table Tennis Federation.

Member of the higher organizing committee (HOC) Humoud Al-Daihani said the tournament witnessed excellent technical levels that started with the youth and continued in the advanced rounds due to the presence of the seeded players. He said the tournament prizes are the highest and attracts the world stars of the game to Kuwait every year.

Deputy Chairperson of the Organizing Committee Sheikha Naeema Al-Ahmad  awarded the winners their prizes in the presence of Sanad Al-Ajmi, Humoud Al-Daihani, Abdelwahab Al-Kandary and Ali Al-Kandary.

Chairman of the technical committee Ali Al-Kandari lauded the distinguished technical level of the tournament in which 40 internationally ranked players are participating, and appreciated the support of ITTF and its supervision both technically and in officiating. He told KUNA that the participation of Kuwait players in this tournament will improve their levels as they face world champions and expected the tournament to continue with its excitement as the top ranked players had qualified particularly those from China, Korea, Japan, Germany and Belarus.

Al-Kandary regretted the attempts of a member of Kuwait Table Tennis Federation to put down this tournament, which has become one of the most important events on the ITTF agenda, then sought to make it a failure using cheap methods that do not go along with a dear name to Kuwaitis which is Sheikha Salwa Sabah Al-Ahmad, (may Allah bless her soul), but those attempts failed due to the efforts of the organizing committee. He said the Kuwaiti youth who are working on having the tournament continue its distinguished success which spanned over 12 consecutive years to become number one in the Grand Prix tournaments. He said that all participants both officials and players lauded the preparations of HOC, he also thanked Information Minister, State Minister for Youth affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, and all officials at the Public Authority for Sports for their cooperation to bring out the tournament at its best.

By Abdellatif Sharaa