TORONTO – Table Tennis Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced Canada’s table tennis team nominated to compete at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. The Team Canada table tennis team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games is:
Athletes
Ivy Liao (Vancouver, B.C.)
Edward Ly (Montréal, Que.)
Siméon Martin (Montréal, Que.)
Eugene Wang (Aurora, Ont.)
Jessie Xu (Toronto, Ont.)
Mo Zhang (Vancouver, B.C.)
The six athletes qualified for Team Canada based on their performances at the Pan American Games selection tournament, which was hosted June 2-4 in Mississauga, Ontario. A total of 32 athletes participated in the event in the hopes of becoming one of the six athletes to represent Canada at Santiago 2023.
The team is a mix of experienced veterans and rookies who will make their major Games debuts. Four-time Olympian Mo Zhang will compete at her third Pan American Games, aiming to build on the three medals she won at Lima 2019, including a gold in the mixed doubles event.
Zhang’s mixed doubles partner in Lima was three-time Olympian Eugene Wang, who also won the bronze medal in men’s singles at both Lima 2019 and Toronto 2015.
“After winning the mixed doubles event at the last Pan American Games, I want to make sure that we can defend that title,” said Wang. “Team Canada will be training hard for the upcoming event and I hope that I can have a better result in the singles event, after winning the bronze medal at the last two Pan American Games.”
Making her debut for Team Canada is young Jessie Xu from Toronto. The 2022 and 2023 Canadian U19 and U15 singles champion will be looking forward to her first appearance at the senior level and at an international major Games, after winning three gold medals at the 2023 Canada Winter Games earlier this year.
“I feel so proud and excited to represent Team Canada. I cannot wait to compete for our country. For the last four years I have been pushing, training and receiving an incredible amount of support from my coaches, parents and teammates with the goal in being named to the team for the 2023 Pan American Games,” said Xu. “I am proud of our team and I know that we will be going into the Games with a lot of potential.”
The mixed doubles table tennis event at Santiago 2023 holds additional significance, as the gold and silver medallists will obtain direct qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and athletes competing in individual events will be able to earn points for the world ranking that will be used for Olympic qualification.
“It is with great anticipation that our athletes will take part in the Pan American Games in Santiago,” said Adham Sharara, President of Table Tennis Canada. “Both our men’s and women’s teams are ranked fifth in the Americas. The team is a good mixture of experienced players and very young players. Hopefully our young players will learn from their experienced teammates and raise Canada’s level internationally in the future.”
Table tennis will take place October 29 to November 5 (Day 9 to 16) at the Centro de Entrenamiento Olímpico.
“As Chef de Mission for Team Canada, I am thrilled to extend a warm welcome to our talented Table Tennis team, where seasoned veterans and promising newcomers are ready to serve up a storm in Chile,” said Christine Girard, Team Canada’s Santiago 2023 Chef de Mission. “Let’s unite behind this skilled table tennis team that combines the experience, wisdom and unwavering determination of our veteran athletes with the fresh energy and raw talent of our newcomers as they gear up for the Pan American Games.”
Courtesy: https://olympic.ca