The ITTF World Table Tennis Championship is gearing up to be a great one and right here in South Africa, spoiling international supporters with a Durban winter, and beauty.
Durban, South Africa (09 March 2023) – Durban won the bid to host the ITTF World Table Tennis Championship in September 2020. The event would be the first in South Africa and the second time on the continent, with Egypt playing host back in 1939.
Now the time is almost here for the event, and the EThekwini Municipality is working to drum up some excitement, to get the public involved and in attendance.
“Excitement is mounting as Durban prepares to host the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals 2023. It is the second time the championships will be hosted on the African continent. The last time it was hosted in Africa was in Egypt in 1939.
The championships will take place from 20 to 28 May at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre and will feature top players from around the world.” – EThekwini Municipality
At the end of February, the ITTF revealed the mascot for the championship would be a local and lekker Hippo named Takuma. He has been adopted by many sporting events and is a well-loved symbol in South Africa.
Takuma has a special origin story; he was designed by Tumelo Nkoana, a then 13-year-old from Mogogelo Village north of Pretoria in South Africa. Nkoana’s winning design, a hand-drawn entry of a hippo, symbolised the strength and spirit of South Africa and beat out 182 other entrants from different schools across the nation. Since then, Takuma has become the mascot for all sports in South Africa.
“Takuma’s story is a testament to the power of creativity and imagination in shaping our world,“ added ITTF President Petra Sörling.
Tickets for the event will be sold soon, so stay tuned to the ITTF Facebook page here. The event will run from the 20th to the 28th of May 2023.