World Table Tennis Day

 

World Table Tennis Day (WTTD) has been celebrated annually in April since 2015. It is the day we celebrate table tennis, as well as the universality and social inclusiveness the sport represents. World Table Tennis Day is celebrated on 23 April, honouring Ivor Montagu, organiser of the first World Table Tennis Championships in 1926 and the founder and first president of the ITTF. WTTD celebrates the joy of playing table tennis for fun, bringing people together, focusing less on competition and more on participation and enjoyment.

World Table Tennis Day: History

The history of table tennis dates back to the British military, when officers in India learned to play the game during their time in the country. The game was originally played with a golf ball, and books were used as racquets.

In 1901, James W. Gibb, a British table tennis enthusiast, discovered that the better-suited celluloid balls were more suitable for the game. The modern racquet was invented by E.C. Goode in the same year.

Despite the fact that there are two different bodies associated with table tennis, the Table Tennis Association was established in 1926, separate from the Ping-Pong Association.

The International Table Tennis Federation (I.T.T.F.) was also founded in the same year, and it is now the game's highest governing body. The first World Championship was held in London in 1926, with the United States Table Tennis Association (now known as USA Table Tennis) founded in the same year.

Health Benefits of playing Table Tennis

Beyond its competitive aspect, table tennis offers a multitude of health benefits that contribute to overall well-being. Scientific studies have shown that playing table tennis improves hand-eye coordination, develops mental acuity, enhances cognitive function, improves reflexes, improve your leg, arm and core strength without overtaxing joints, burns calories, helps to lose weight, keeps your brain sharp, improves coordination with others and boosts mental acuity.