Rashid Abdul Hamid: Ping pong star serving up a treat in Dubai

Ping Pong is in the midst of a boom period in terms popularity and playing numbers in the UAE.

Just weeks ago saw the launch of a nightclub inspired and based solely on the table sport (SPiN Dubai), and now there is a community initiative, Ping Pong Dubai, which is aimed at getting more people to take up the sport this summer by setting up free-to-use ping pong tables at Dubai Sports World, from June 21-August 21.

This week Sport360°'s Kara Martin chats with the man behind the movement, Rashid Abdul Hamid, the UAE No1 table tennis player.

How were you first introduced to the game of ping pong?

Coaches would go to different schools to try to recruit players for different sports and so [through that] I tried out table tennis. Later, in 2001, I attended my first world championships, in Osaka, Japan, and there I saw my now role model in table tennis – Jan-Ove Waldner from Sweden.

From then on, I loved table tennis even more and started getting involved in championships in the GCC. Eventually the talent came and I discovered that I can play, and I really enjoyed it.

Table tennis, as an individual sport, gives you discipline, makes you a calm person – if you’re not calm, you can’t win, and you have to be very smart and fit (we also do a lot of fitness and mental fitness training) to play at a top level in table tennis.

You just returned from the World Table Tennis Championships in Paris, where you helped the UAE beat the USA en route to reaching the last 64 of the event for the first time... how does it feel?

Yeah, it was great. We achieved the best result for the UAE in doubles. We lost against Spain 4-2 – it was a good game. We had to win three games to play that round and it’s a great achievement for the UAE and for myself.

Were you guys surprised by the level of competition there?

No, no. We have played a lot of tournaments and we know the players well. We always see them and we know the level is very high. China is super, super strong though; the semi-finals were just the Chinese competing against each other.

I don’t know what it is about the Chinese, maybe the amount of passion they have for the game... the system they have is just unbelievably amazing. I can’t describe it. They really study table tennis. The males, the females... they’re just the best; [the current squad] is the best team ever in table tennis history. There was never this big of a gap between them and other world teams in the history of the game.

Normally we don’t prepare as well as we would like to for championships because we are all employees and work for a living and we also compete at the same time. We were happy to make it that far. In the summer we’ll have a better training plan for the singles and doubles events in the Arab Table Tennis Championships (to be held some time in August, depending on Eid), and the doubles, singles and team events in the GCC Championships (September 8).

Who are your strongest competitors in the GCC championships?

It’s only five countries playing against each other and the levels are very close, any team can beat the other any time. Last time we were in the final against Kuwait, but before that the reigning team used to be Saudi Arabia.

It’s always different so you have to be ready mentally, physically, just be ready to fight on the table.

This summer is also Ping Pong Dubai’s community initiative at Dubai Sports World. Is it a bid to find fresh talent for the national team?

Yeah, that’s part of it. Some of the national team players and coaches will be involved and it comes before some school championships planned in November. But in general we want to encourage the younger generation across the UAE and people of all ages, from all walks of life to start playing the game.

Do you find that there are enough local tournaments to keep you playing at a high level, and as preparation for international competition?

There are six cups to win in the UAE, which, for the past three years we have won, but I do believe we need more. I’ve competed in more tournaments than I can count in my career, but still it’s definitely not enough to increase my level. Obviously, we need to be fully professional in the sport to be able to reach there.

I heard you did some coaching at ping pong club SPiN Dubai. What do you think of it?

Yes, I gave the staff two days training and went to the opening also. Whether I will be working more with them, I don’t know. It depends. They have a list of pros there giving coaching classes. I have a good relationship with the guys over there, but whenever they need me, they call me and I’m happy to be involved.

Lastly, what are your top tips for those interested in picking up the bat on a serious level?

You first have to have the courage to start playing, doesn’t matter if you’re good or bad; just take the initiative. We’re giving you the first step with the Ping Pong Dubai community initiative this summer (find out more on www.facebook.com/PingPongDubai1). Then, you have to be ready to practice a lot, and build up a strong mentality for sport and competition.

READ MORE:

- UAE's Hamid hopes to make ping pong a smash hit

- VIDEO: Is this the greatest table tennis shot ever?

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