Table Tennis Stars Anna Hursey and Liam Pitchford Secure Spots on Team GB for Paris Olympics
In a historic moment for British table tennis, Anna Hursey and Liam Pitchford have officially been selected to represent Team GB at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games. Both athletes have earned their respective spots through impressive qualifications, setting the stage for an exciting Olympic campaign.
Liam Pitchford’s Olympic Journey
Pitchford, who will be attending his fourth Olympic Games, becomes the first GB table tennis athlete to achieve this remarkable feat. The 29-year-old qualified based on his world ranking and is eager to build on his previous performances, which have seen him reach the last 32 in both the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.
Anna Hursey’s Olympic Debut
Hursey, on the other hand, will be making her Olympic debut at the tender age of 18. The Welsh table tennis prodigy secured her place through the European Singles Qualification Tournament in Sarajevo in May, becoming the first Welsh table tennis athlete to compete at the Olympic Games. She is also only the third female GB athlete to seal a spot through the continental qualifying tournament since 1992.
“I’m just really, really excited for it. I’m looking forward to playing – having that experience of loads of people watching and how it feels to be on the table will be a completely different experience. I’ll try to take in the whole experience. I think it will be really cool to see how everyone prepares for it and to see all the different athletes, how they are and how they deal with things.”
Pitchford’s Injury Recovery and Anticipation
Pitchford, who has recently recovered from a shoulder injury, shared his relief at having his qualification confirmed, stating:
“I kind of knew I’d done enough to get in on the ranking a while ago, but obviously you never know, things can change, and with my shoulder it was a bit of a wait. I’d like to have got it done a bit earlier. I’m really happy, it’s going to be my fourth Games. I’ve been getting my shoulder back to 100%, doing my rehab and getting in good shape. I’ve been back on the table a couple of weeks now and feeling good, so it’s going to be straight out there and ready to go.”
The table tennis competitions at the Paris Olympics will commence on July 27, with the medal matches scheduled for August 3 and 4, followed by the team events starting on August 5. Fans of the sport can look forward to an exhilarating display of talent and determination as Hursey and Pitchford represent Great Britain on the world stage.
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