Wong to return to Guyana following stint in Germany

—says experience has been fulfilling

Twenty-year-old former national junior table tennis player Miguel Wong is keen to bring the curtain down on his training stint in Germany which was prolonged due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.

Wong departed Guyana in September 2019 to fortify his development during a three-month training camp in Berlin, Germany, and was due to return in December the said year.

However, scouts laid eyes on his craft and the young man was given the opportunity to stay on to further realise his dreams.

But the young man is ready to return home after being under lockdown with a number of his other colleagues at the Topspin Sports Centre in Bad Aibling, Germany, where coach Thomas Wetzel and his wife Cristina were generous to have him stay on.

“...it’s been a challenging and welcoming experience being here in Germany for over a year. I’ve learnt so much and grown a lot being here,” Wong, who plays for the Titans Table Tennis Club locally, told Stabroek Sport.

Wong explained that his three-month initial stint had to be extended amidst the hysteria of the Coronavirus which forced worldwide lockdowns, especially in Europe which was one of the first epicentres of the world. That was somewhat of a blessing in disguise since he had a unique opportunity to eat, sleep, and breathe table tennis after being quarantined at the facility where he trains.

“…Because of COVID, I couldn’t return home in April as planned. I stayed and continued to train for an extra seven months in Germany. Sometimes, things work out for the better,” he said when asked if the virus curtailed his ambitions.

Wong, while in Germany, played in a number of leagues. He also got the opportunity to represent Guyana in topflight international table tennis when he played in the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open, in Magdeburg, Germany but was unsuccessful in advancing past the opening round.

He also marked his name in the Portugal Open, which was played in Lisbon. Meanwhile, to ensure his passage home, Wong has reached out to the Guyana Table Tennis Association ( GTTA) and the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) for assistance.