By OUR CORRESPONDENT
World greatest footballer Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known by his nickname Pelé, once said that sporting success is no accident- “it is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing.”
Likewise, transitioning from a senior table tennis player to a fully-fledged tactician often materializes naturally!
Some Ping-Pong purists term it “a labour of love” after years of international experience and dedicated play-time on a Ping-Pong table!
Granted, the process to transit to a coach while still in active play requires a fundamental shift in perspective and purpose, as Kenya number one Brian Mutua would put it.
Mutua is one of the three Kenyan international players (alongside St Monica Girls School Kitale alumnus Audrey Oronda and Doreen Juma) currently on a month-long coaching exchange program in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China courtesy of Free Trade Development Board of Zhejiang Province.
–Chinese Ping-Pong Culture –
China being the Mecca of this revered sport of “bats and balls”, hands the Kenyan trio an opportunity to relish the unique Chinese culture and training systems at Shizhen Table Tennis Center where the program is domiciled.
The Kenyans are training under the tutelage of Coach Mao Bo of Hangzhou Hongjinshi Sports Planning Co. Ltd, a pingpong brother to Liu Guoliang, the former President of China Table Tennis Association and current Chairman, with over 30 years of coaching experience, including the Fiji TT National Team
Li Bin of Hangzhou Xihu District Table Tennis Association is also in the coaching mix at Shizhen with over 10 years of coaching experience that he’s gladly imparting to the Kenyan trio.
Reflecting on his short stay in China, Mutua who made his national team debut during the Eastern Region Africa Top 16 qualifiers in Port Louis’ Complexe Sportiff de Beau Bassin in 2017, highlighted: “It still feels unreal to be here because for any table tennis player, China is the ultimate destination; the Mecca of the sport. Being here allows me to experience firsthand the level of passion, professionalism, and history behind China’s success in table tennis.”
— Strong Foundation For Coaching–
“From what I’ve seen, table tennis is something akin to a religion here. It’s not just a sport, but part of their identity, and the respect it commands from all generations is something very inspiring,” added Mutua.
In the next five years, Mutua -who has reigned supreme as the Kenyan top-seed for years now- sees himself establishing a strong foundation for coaching in Kenya, vis-à-vis building players who can compete confidently on the international stage.
“I want to combine what I’ve learned here with my own experiences as a player to create a system that nurtures budding young talents. My goal is to contribute to raising the level of the sport in Kenya and eventually across Africa.” Mutua noted.
–Nurturing Grassroot Talents –
Oronda, who was recently selected for the IOC Young Leaders Program for 2025-2028, aspires to build a vibrant table tennis culture where anyone playing table tennis feels included.
Oronda quipped: “The essence will be to develop grassroot talents and have purposeful and targeted training for different groups of players.”
She continues: “International exchange programs between coaches and players from different countries would be of utmost importance in this ambitious journey.”
Coming to think of culture shock and the Chinese success story in table tennis, Oronda emphasized: “There is an exciting vibe and feeling when you visit China. Here, ping-pong is a culture. Top table tennis athletes are frequently featured in advertisements by companies everywhere. Most people know about ping-pong – some play – and some are just huge fans of top players.”
Oronda: “It feels good because pingpong is not a so common conversation back in Africa. I am chuffed learning about targeted training and how to balance intensity during training; how to do game analysis of players…how to train effectively and focus on the good basic techniques, discipline as a player and how to wholly develop your player in and out of table tennis.
For 2019 Kisumu Open Table Tennis Champion Doreen Juma, her biggest takeaways include the importance of discipline, consistency, and structured training.
–The Value Of Teamwork –
“I’ve also seen how mental strength is emphasized just as much as physical skills. Another key takeaway is the value of teamwork. Chinese players and coaches work together with a common goal, and that cooperation makes a huge difference in a player’s development. These are some of the lessons I want to carry with me and share back home. Something that stands out in is the culture around the sport,” explains Doreen.
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“In China, table tennis is deeply instilled in society; it’s played everywhere, from schools to parks, and it has government and community support. The pathway from beginner to elite is very clear and well-structured. In Africa and Kenya, specifically, the passion is there, but the support systems, facilities, and exposure are still developing. However, with more opportunities like this exchange, I believe that we will soon bridge this gap,” said Doreen in finality.
