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table tennis feature
10 | Touchline issue 23 | April 2016
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TABLE TENNIS WAS INVENTED IN ENGLAND IN THE 1880’s
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THE INTERNATIONAL TABLE TENNIS FEDERATION (ITTF) WAS FORMED IN 1926 BY
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TABLE TENNIS ASSOCIATIONS OF ENGLAND, AUSTRIA, GERMANY
AND HUNGARY
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TABLE TENNIS BECAME A MEDAL OLYMPIC SPORT IN THE 1988 SUMMER OLYMPICS IN SEOUL
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34 MILLION PEOPLE IN CHINA WATCHED THE MEN’S SINGLES FINAL AT THE 2012 LONDON
OLYMPICS ON TV
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TABLE TENNIS IS THE MOST POPULAR INDOOR SPORT IN THE WORLD WITH 222 ASSOCIATIONS
AFFILIATED TO THE ITTF
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EARLY TABLE TENNIS PADDLES WERE NORMALLY MADE OF CORK, CARDBOARD, OR WOOD,
AND COVERED WITH CLOTH, LEATHER OR SANDPAPER
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TABLE TENNIS WAS BANNED IN THE SOVIET UNION FROM 1930 TO 1950. THE SPORT WAS
BELIEVED TO BE HARMFUL TO THE EYES
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A MODERN TABLE TENNIS MATCH AT THE ELITE LEVEL LASTS ON THE AVERAGE ABOUT 30
MINUTES. TOP PLAYERS OFTEN SMASH THE BALL AT SPEEDS EXCEEDING 100 MILES PER HOUR
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HOWMANY BALLS CAN TWO PLAYERS HIT BACK AND FORTH IN 60 SECONDS? THE CURRENT
RECORD IS 173 SET BY JACKIE BELLINGER AND LISA LOMAS IN 1993
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A MODERN TABLE IS 9 FEET LONG, 5 FEET WIDE, AND 2.5 FEET HIGH. THE NET IS 6 INCHES HIGH
Table
Tenni s
Facts