Ghayouri, Gebauer train with the best in China

Namibia’s top junior prospects Kamrouz Ghayouri and Lian Gebauer are currently attending a one-month training camp at the Hebei Zhengding Table Tennis Training Base in northern China until 31 May.

Also referred to as the China Table Tennis Association International Training Centre, the premier facility is known for hosting closed training camps for the Chinese national team.

Reports describe it as a “cradle of world champions”, offering intensive training, on-site accommodation and international programmes for players from around the world.

The Namibia Table Tennis Association (NTTA) confirmed that the players left last weekend, accompanied by International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)-accredited coach Promise Fayele from Nigeria.

Strong pedigree

As an ITTF Level Two coach with a strong pedigree, having conducted several training camps in Namibia, Fayele is expected to bring valuable experience to the trip. Namibia currently does not have a fully certified ITTF coach.

Fayele has also spent the past few weeks training table tennis players in Namibia since March. He helped guide Ghayouri to his U15 gold medal at the Gauteng North Open in Pretoria North, South Africa, last month.

Gebauer competed alongside Ghayouri at the same event and also impressed by reaching the quarterfinals in both the U19 category and the senior women’s division.

The Namibia Table Tennis Association (NTTA) welcomed the initiative, calling it a milestone for table tennis in the country, and extended gratitude to the Namibia National Olympic Committee for making the trip and training programme possible.

“The NTTA extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Namibia National Olympic Committee for granting our athletes this incredible opportunity and for their belief in their talent. This is a chance for our athletes to grow and be able to compete internationally,” said the association.

Faster playing conditions

Asked how the athletes are settling in at the training camp, Fayele said they are gradually adapting to the Chinese training methods and the faster playing conditions at the training base.

“They are also adapting to the speed of the tables, because the tables at this training base are much faster than the ones we have in Namibia. The training is quite intense, but it is nothing we are not already used to,” said Fayele.

He further noted that, as a coach, he is learning a lot from working alongside top Chinese coaches, particularly their training methods, which he hopes to apply with Namibian players on his return.

“We will continue from where we left off in China after the training camp with our two players [Ghayouri and Gebauer], and use that experience to benefit the home-based Namibian players.

“Assisting the Chinese coaches here at the camp has also helped me adapt quickly to their training methods. I’m open to learning more in the coming days, as there is still a lot of knowledge to absorb here,” he said.

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