Durban - Six-time national table tennis women’s champion, Danisha Patel, is eager to get going at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals in Durban.
The tournament kicks off on May 20 at the Durban International Convention Centre.
Patel, a biokineticist from Lenasia in Gauteng, will represent South Africa at the tournament.
She said that she started playing table tennis at the age of 10.
“My grandfather had an old table tennis board that my brothers repaired. We began playing table tennis as a pastime. Eventually, my brother, Bhavik, and I started playing for our primary school and carried on to high school.”
Patel said she started training with professional coach Sameera Mal in 2005. “In 2007, I represented my province Gauteng in my first ever junior national championships for under 14 and 17 and won two bronze medals. I was then asked to represent Gauteng even in the senior national championships.
I have been playing for Gauteng Central since then.”
Patel said she won her first national title for senior women in 2014.
“Since then I have been retaining my title. In 2019, I won my sixth consecutive national title, being the first female in South Africa to do so. It’s been roller-coaster years of table tennis, both physically and mentally challenging. I learnt a lot during my international tournaments so I know I have to prepare properly and work on fitness.”
Patel said that training for the championships was very demanding.
“I have to make sure I get good practice time with my training partners. That can be tricky with everyday work, life and commitments. If we can push at least two sessions during the week and score the weekend as well, that’s good table time. Working at a Virgin Active as a biokineticist, I make sure my fitness training does not slack. Better preparation means more confidence.”
Patel said she wanted to see more female representation in table tennis in South Africa.
“There are a lot of upcoming juniors but not as many females … and if there are, they may be interested in other sporting codes. I do think that all schools should offer it as a sport, even if it is just recreational. That’s where it started for me.”
She said it was a dream come true to be playing at the World Table Tennis Championships in Durban.
“The world’s best table tennis players will be in South Africa – the players I love to watch, the players I follow on Instagram.
“To play against them will be a dream come true, even though it’s going to be tough.”
