 Priscilla's slice of ping-pong paradise
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-23 10:39
From her South Pacific island -- with just for table tennis tables -- to China, where the government has decreed that every village has at least one, Priscilla Tommy has come a long way. The 17-year-old native of Vanuatu has been playing for just four years and is the lowest ranked player at the Olympics by some distance at 866th in the world. She is, however, the best in Oceania, winning the regional singles championship last year. "Only a few people play in Vanuatu, about 15. There are only four tables and one club," she said. Last year's victory - Vanuatu's only gold in the South Pacific Games -- catapulted Tommy to fame, at least in her corner of the world. "When I walk around Port Vila (Vanuatu's capital), people come and talk to me and take pictures with me," she said. But the Olympic Games in Beijing is in a different league to the South Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa. "These are international competitors. They're too strong for me. My goal is to get up to 6 points in my match," she said. Singles matches are best of seven games, each played to 11 points. Tommy played against Slovakia's Eva Odorova, who is ranked 762 spots higher, and achieved her goal. Odorova won 4-0, but in game 2, Tommy lifted and reached beyond her goal -- she scored 7 points in a four-minute tussle. She got to Beijing, holding Vanuatu's flag aloft in the Opening Ceremony, thanks to a combination of Chinese coaching, regional financial support and a special invitation from the International Olympic Committee. Tommy, who plays defensively far from the table, has a Chinese coach, Sun Hongyi, and has trained in table tennis superpower China six times over the past three years. Away from Vanuatu for long stretches for practice and competition, Tommy's studies have suffered. As with her table tennis hopes, China may again hold the key. "My school threw me out. They don't accept me because I travel a lot," she said. "The Chinese embassy said they are trying to help." Although Tommy didn't progress in China, she's now on her way to India to train ahead of the Commonwealth Games. "My game is not really exciting, but I am really happy to play," she told Australia's ABC radio. "My opponent is really strong for me and I do my luck and exciting game. It was exciting and I'm really happy." Her sister and doubles partner, Anlyne is with her in Beijing -- both were discovered after moving to Port Vila for university. Agencies (China Daily 08/23/2008 page31) |
