Table tennis/Euro Mini Champ’s in Schiltigheim. On to the game!

For three years they have been waiting and stamping with impatience to be able to compete again. As a result, they will all be there, or almost. The best young French and European table tennis players, as well as four young guests from Japan, will be presented in large numbers next weekend in Schiltigheim for the big return of the Euro Mini Champs.

Top European level

“There is a mixture of pleasure and excitement,” says the great chief organizer, Guillaume Simonin. As we can see, there are more registered players than in 2019. There were nearly 350 players three years ago and there will be around 380 at the weekend at the Nelson Mandela complex. It’s really great, we’re very satisfied, he adds. This is proof that there is a strong demand from the French but also from foreigners. It is a desire of the Organizer at best. We’ll see if we can still do it and we even hope to improve further. Especially since it will only be the 2^e time it is held at the Nelson Mandela Complex.

To finish with the figures: the competition will allow 150 young French people to evaluate themselves in relation to the strong European colony which will land in Schiltigheim. It is reserved for children under 11 and, this year’s great novelty, for children under 13 (instead of 12). We wanted to extend by one year to allow those who have not been able to experience it the last two years to be able to come, then underlines Guillaume Simonin.

Become over the years, a test of reference for the youngest, it wants to remain so during this 16^e editing. “We see the hatching of future table tennis champions,” recalls the boss. The Federation has set up this tournament to evaluate the best French players against European competition. The formula means that young people play a lot and the density is enormous. No doubt, we will be at the top European level.

A dozen Alsatians

Among the young tricolors present, several will be ambitious. Nina Guo Zheng from Normandy will be one to watch in the under-11 category. A dozen Alsatian table tennis players are assessed at home with a lot, no doubt, of motivation. We can notably mention Romo Muller (TT Haguenau-Wissembourg) who will have a good shot to play in U11. “After two blank years, I’m especially waiting for everyone to leave the content and for the French to make the podiums”, discovered Guillaume Simonin. There is no doubt that this edition of the Reunion will live up to expectations.