Table Tennis
Table Tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game is played on a hard table divided by a net, and except for the initial serve, players must allow a ball played toward them only one bounce on their side of the table; they must also return it so that it bounces on the opposite side. Points are scored when a player fails to return the ball within the rules.
Play is fast and demands quick reactions, and is no different for disabled people. The usual table tennis rules are in effect, with slight modifications for athletes in wheelchairs.
A skilled player can impart several varieties of spin to the ball, altering its trajectory and limiting an opponent's options to great advantage.
The sport is governed by the worldwide organisation International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), founded in 1926. ITTF currently includes 217 member associations and the official rules are specified in the ITTF handbook.
Since 1988, table tennis has been an Olympic sport, and in 2007 the governance of table tennis for disabled people was transferred from the International Paralympic Committee to the ITTF.
Whether you want to reach the dizzying heights of an international career, or just want to play for fun, there are many opportunities in New Zealand and abroad. At one end of the spectrum there is the Paralympic Games and the World Para Table Tennis Champs, but there are also regional, international and national tournaments that are organised by Table Tennis New Zealand.
Their goal is to provide an environment that promotes and supports active and lifelong participation in the sport, at all levels, whilst striving to identify and develop Commonwealth, World and Olympic/Paralympic champions.