Cai Zhenhua Appears at Liuzhou National High-Tech Zone Workers' Table Tennis Tournament
On November 18, the 2024 National High-Tech Zone Workers' Table Tennis Tournament in Liuzhou welcomed a heavyweight guest—Cai Zhenhua, known affectionately by table tennis fans as 'Coach Cai'. The tournament brought together over 60 teams from more than 40 national high-tech zones and some enterprises, with over 300 employee athletes gathering in Dragon City (Liuzhou) to use the sport as a bridge for a spectacular display of skill.
Cai Zhenhua, guided by Li Mujiang, chairman of the Liudong New District (High-Tech Zone) Federation of Trade Unions, visited the special local agricultural products showcased for the event.
It is understood that this is the first national table tennis tournament for workers organized by the high-tech zone trade union system. The two-day competition follows a mixed-gender team format, with each match featuring three athletes who play four men's singles and one women's singles in sequence. There are no seeded teams or age group restrictions; the ranking of all participating teams is determined through a combination of round-robin group play and knockout stages.
After the opening ceremony, Cai Zhenhua visited the Liuzhou Workers' Cultural Palace (New Building). In the table tennis hall, he warmly interacted with many employee fans, personally guiding them in training. He carefully taught techniques from gripping the paddle and power generation to backhand returns, emphasizing key points, and patiently answered all their questions about training and competitions.
Cai also encouraged the workers to persevere in physical exercise and continuously improve their fitness. He expressed his hope that everyone would integrate the spirit of perseverance, tenacious struggle, and willingness to endure hardship cultivated through sports into their daily work, contributing more to their personal careers and social development.
Cai Zhenhua once served as the head coach of the Chinese national table tennis team and successfully trained 11 Olympic champions during his coaching career. He was selected for the national team as early as 1978; during his athletic career, he represented China in numerous international events, winning many championships and earning great honors for Chinese table tennis on the world stage. He continues to enjoy a high reputation and profound influence in the table tennis community both at home and abroad.
