Teenage table tennis players from across the world converged on Qingdao this summer, drawn by China's deep table tennis tradition and the chance to train under Olympic champion Chen Meng. For them, the sport offers more than competition — it opens doors to friendship, growth and shared dreams.
The teens were in town for the third session of the "Leap into Summer, Forge Glory with Table Tennis" 2026 Summer International Champion Training Camp at Chen Meng (Guoke) Table Tennis School, held at the gymnasium of Qingdao Guoke Senior High School, also known as Qingdao Affiliated School to the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
It brought together young players from Saudi Arabia, Russia, Greece, Belarus, and beyond, as well as overseas Chinese teenagers.
Among them were Saudi siblings Lana Omar Alghamdi, 13, and Eyad Tariq Alghamdi, 11, who stayed on for extra practice on Aug 20 while other teammates headed to the canteen. Influenced by their father, the siblings began playing at a young age and came to Qingdao eager to sharpen their skills in China, a global powerhouse in the sport.
Eyad is already ranked among the top Saudi players in the under-14 category.
The coaches worked closely with the siblings, fine-tuning their swings and helping them improve how they generate and control power. For the young players, each session offered a chance to learn from a table tennis environment they had long admired from afar.
Many of the camp's overseas participants first became familiar with the strength of Chinese table tennis through the Olympic Games and World Table Tennis Championships. Now, they are getting the chance to experience that strength up close — across the table from Chinese peers and on the same training floor as Chen.
For Belarusian player Maksimuk Valeryia, the experience came with an especially memorable surprise. During a training session, her idol Chen quietly stopped by to watch her practice. Chen then stepped in to adjust Maksimuk's grip and personally guide her backhand technique.
The encounter gave Maksimuk a major boost. She had originally planned to travel to Guangzhou, Guangdong province, but changed course and came to Qingdao alone, inspired by her admiration for Chen and China's table tennis prowess. Within days, she felt her game improving. Just as importantly, she found Chinese friends who shared her passion for the sport and strengthened her determination to pursue table tennis seriously.
For 15-year-old Greek player Peter Doukas, Qingdao has become a familiar destination. A reserve player for the Greek junior national team, he has returned to the camp for three consecutive years while competing in international events throughout the year.
Table tennis is relatively less popular in Athens, where opportunities for systematic training and high-level practice are limited. Qingdao offers a different environment, with a strong table tennis culture and professional coaching that have helped Peter address technical weaknesses and push his game further.
Chen said seeing young players from different parts of the world training together reminds her of her own days as a young athlete. The camp brings together teenagers united by their love of table tennis, despite their different languages and backgrounds, she said.
