As part of the ETTU Development program the second-ever Para Table Tennis Training Camp took place in Lignano (ITA) from 12-17 December 2022. The camp was led by Alessandro ARCIGLI chair of the ETTU Para Committee and assisted by the Croatian technicians Nikola VUKELJA Spanish José MACHADO Korean HWANG Eunbit and Italians Nicola FALAPPA and Massimo PISCHIUTTI with the contribution of the Ukrainian sparring Sofia SHEREDEHA and Croatian Zvonimir KRAMARIC.
A total of 26 Athletes under 23 Para players participated in the camp from 7 different Associations : Italy Great Britain Portugal Holland Spain Latvia and Finland.
The British plyers who were in the camp are Daniel MEAD Josh HILL and Joseph CROUSE the Latvian Valters VOICIS the Finnish Aaro MAKELA the Portuguese Mario BASTARDO the Spaniards Alejandro DIAZ Iker GONZALEZ and Marlon LOPEZ the Dutch Roy van der BURG Yannick PAREDIS Paul van der OORD Dustin EIER Sem ROELOFS and Frederique van HOOF and the Italians Leonardo COLETTA Marco BOVE Mirko BRUSCHI Lorenzo MAGARELLI Elena ELLI Roberto MARTINELLI Stefano BUTTI Manuel FORTUZZI Edoardo CASATI Matteo PARENZAN and Carlotta RAGAZZINI.
The schedule consisted of a combination of training sessions multiball sessions and matches. The sessions were divided into two different periods morning (from 9.30 till 12.30) and evening (16.30/19.30) with regular and special (individual) training exercises while for the last day the main focus was on playing matches. At the end of the camp there was a short meeting to analyse the work to do at home.
“The camp in Lignano was a great opportunity to meet many players from different countries and to train in a different way than usual. I really appreciated the advice of the coaches who gave me many useful ideas to introduce variations in my playing style. It was a very positive experience to be repeated for sure.” Mirko BRUSCHI (ITA) Class 9.
“It was a great experience to be at an international training camp and it was fantastic to be here. I played with players from all over Europe and of different classes so it’s been a wonderful chance to improve and learn a lot of things. Thank you all for the opportunity.” Carlotta RAGAZZINI (ITA) Class 3.