As part of the 2008 Sussex Games, a Festival of Table Tennis will take place at the Olympos, Burgess Hill on Sunday 7th September. Three of England’s best table tennis players will be battling it out in the Generations Exhibition. Darius Knight England’s current No 2 will take on ex-England No 1s Matthew Syed and Alan Cooke. It should be a feast of table tennis with both breathtaking skill and comedy moments as the combatants try to out do each other.

Darius Knight has replaced Paul Drinkhall who now has an important match for his club in Germany. Knight and Drinkhall are keen rivals and both hope to lead Great Britain’s chances in the 2012 Olympics. The left handed Knight has a quick counter attacking close to the table style and was recently featured on the BBC’s Olympic dreams programme with Drinkhall. Last month Knight won three medals at the European Junior Championships including gold in the men’s doubles with Drinkhall. Knight still only 18 is three times England’s U21 National Champion.

Syed is Britain’s last player to have qualified for the Olympics, competing in Sydney 2000. Table Tennis is one of the world’s most participated-in sports but only 32 can take part! Syed is a double Olympian having also competed in Barcelona 1992, three times Commonwealth Champion and four times National Champion

Making up the trio is Cooke, whose career highlights include representing England at both the Seoul and Barcelona Olympics in 1988 and 1992, winning the Men’s Singles title at the 1989 Commonwealth Championships, six times English National Champion and is the reigning World Veterans’ Table Tennis Champion

The architects of the event are Ian Ford and Marc Burman of the Sussex Table Tennis Alliance, which is a driving force in the renaissance of table tennis in Sussex via the Sussex Circuit. The popular junior circuit takes place approximately once a month around Sussex and was piloted during the 2006-07 season, typically with over 60 participants, but sometimes nearer 120 as happened at the Gatwick Diamond games last year at Olympos and at Warden Park in March. As a result of its success an adult circuit has now been introduced.

Ford says “At the Sussex Festival, there will be both junior and senior competitions which will cater for beginners and experts alike by use of suitable banding, allowing everybody to play lots of matches at their level. It is a game that both boys and girls can play enabling all the family to take part as long as they can at least play a basic rally. Medals will be awarded to the winners and runners up of each band. A bumper entry is expected to take advantage of a spectacular 40-table set-up so get your entry in early.”

For those not ready for matchplay there will also be fun-skills competitions, adult coaching and attractions such as robots, robopong, batak (a reaction game), video displays and music. Catering and other sporting facilities such as swimming will be supplied by Olympos as normal.

Emma comments “I really enjoy the Sussex Circuit. It’s fun and great practice - there are lots of exciting games. We could do with some more girls to take on the boys.”Yolanda King (England U15) won Band A at the Storrington leg last year beating several county boys showing that girls can compete happily with boys.

Burman an ex-Surrey No 1 is visibly excited by the event. His company Scope Recruitment are the sponsors. “I’m hoping people will come and see what a great sport table tennis is both to watch and play. When these top guys play the ball often travels over 100 mph loaded with spin requiring great speed of thought, hand-eye coordination and technical skill. On the other hand, it is a sport for all and others will have fun participating in the events on offer. It should be a great day – I can’t wait!”

Haywards Heath Table Tennis League will be well represented, both with participants and advisors on hand for those that might want information on where to play locally, either socially or on a competitive basis.

Mel Simms - Chairman
Haywards Heath Table Tennis League