The America Samoa Table Tennis Association (ASTTA) in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Recreation held their first ever award ceremony this past Saturday at the Parks and Recreation main grounds in Tafuna for the first ASTTA Championships that were held this year at the end of May.  Saturday was also the closing ceremony for the completion of their Development of National Sport Structure for Table Tennis.

The ASTTA received a big push in April when Arif Khan, who is a former professional table tennis player and once ranked highly among some of the best players in the world, arrived  to help promote table tennis in the territory.  Khan, who left this past Monday night, will be returning in September when he will conduct more clinics and training sessions for the young aspiring players. During his recently completed training, there were, on average, 20 young players coming to train with Khan. While he was here, Khan visited all of the 19 elementary schools on Tutuila where he conducted demonstrations in the hope of implementing the sport into the elementary school system.

According to ASTTA president Ken Tupua, with the approval of the American Samoa National Olympic Committee (ASNOC), the ASTTA funding came from Olympic Solidarity to conduct the month and half long program.

Tupua stated that the association is working very hard to develop and promote the sport here in the territory.  With the help of Olympic Solidarity, the International Table Tennis Federation, the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Education, they hope to make table tennis one of the most popular sports on island.

Here are the winners of the ASTTA Championships:

Mens Open:

1st: Dave Godinet

2nd: Keneti Ali’ioaiga Tupua

3rd: Fano

4th: Ken Tupua

14 & Under:

1st: Joe Meki

2nd: Raymond Tulouna

3rd: Sopoaga Ili

4th: Fiso Tuna Jr.

12 & Under:

1st: Fuafiva Tasio

2nd: Mateo Suetuki

3rd: Faith Maug