Youth Olympic Games Table Tennis Mixed Team Event Features Ariel Hsing

The inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore picked up again on Tuesday with the mixed team competition that was highlighted with the Pan American Team #1 that featured two-time U.S. National Championships silver medalist Ariel Hsing (San Jose, Calif.). Her team member for the first stage of mixed team competition was Paraguay’s Alex Gavilan.

The Pan Am #1 team started the day against Japan. Hsing faced off again Ayuka Tanioka. The first game went to Tanioka, 11-5. Hsing came back to claim the second game, 11-6, before dropping the remaining games: 11-1, 11-6, 11-9. Tanioka won the match 3-2. Gavilan was defeated in straight games, 3-0, by Koki Niwa. Japan won the contest 3-0.

In the second round, Hsing won the first game, 11-5 over Brazil’s Caroline Kumahara. The next three games were tight that went in Kumahara’s favor. The third game between the two players was the barn burner where Kumahara won 16-14. Hsing lost to Kumahara, 3-1. Brazil’s Eric Jouti dropped Gavilan, 3-1 to advance the Brazil squad.

Up next for the Pan American Team #1 is Africa on Wednesday, August 25.

Table tennis is one of 26 events contested at the inaugural multi-sport youth event. The international event anticipates about 5,000 athletes and officials from the 205 National Olympic Committees. The table tennis athletes will be between the ages of 15 and 16. The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games aims to inspire youth around the world to embrace, embody and express the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.

For more information on the 2010 Youth Olympic Games visit http://www.singapore2010.sg/public/sg2010/en/en_games/en_games_results.html.

RESULTS:
2010 Youth Olympic Games
Singapore

Mixed Team Competition
Japan 3, Pan America1 (Ariel Hsing) 0
Brazil 2, Pan America1 (Ariel Hsing) 1

Media Contact: Anthony Bartkowski, (719) 510-7331 or abartkowski@comcast.net

About USA Table Tennis: USATT is the national organizing body for table tennis in the United States. Created in 1933 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo. Its staff serves the 9,000-plus members and nearly 300 clubs that are affiliated with USATT. It oversees a wide variety of membership services, the national teams, rules of the game and numerous online instructional and historical articles. USATT is governed and run by the nine-member board of directors, committees and professional staff. USATT is affiliated with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), the world governing body for table tennis, as well as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).