2021 TTA TOUR SYDNEY - LITTLE BOY BIG DREAM

The 2021 TTA Tour Sydney was held from 29 to 30 May 2021 at Sydney Olympic Park. 11 year old NSW junior player Leo (Leonard) Piyachai won the Gold Medal for the U11 Boys Singles and the Bronze Medal for the U13 Boys Singles. It is an incredible result as he only started to play table tennis 6 years ago in 2015.

   Leo was training with Alice Lee, Cedric Sussebach and Peter Masen in 2016.

Leo said: “I started table tennis training when I was five in 2015 and my first coaches were my Dad Singha and Peter Masen. I have been living in Wollongong, and travelled to Sydney every weekend and trained there for the whole day after the 2 hour drive. I also trained with my Dad 6 days a week for 1 to 2 hours per day on the other days.”

Leo’s Dad, Singha said: “I started to play table tennis at age of 10 in 1984 in Thailand. After playing for 2 years, I was selected into the junior province team at Chiang-Rai, Thailand. I trained and played table tennis for another 2-3 more years, representing my school and junior province team. When I was about 15 years old, I dropped out of the junior team to focus on my studies.”  

Singha continued: “I moved to Sydney in 2001 for study and work before I moved to Wollongong to work in 2007. One year later, I joined the Illawarra Table Tennis Club where I won a couple of medals in singles, doubles and team competitions. In 2011, I started training with Peter Masen on the weekend in Sydney for 5 consecutive years until 2016.”

      Elisa Lee, World Champion at the 1973 World Table Tennis Championships presented the medal to Leo on 2018 Elisa Lee Cup Table Tennis NSW Open Championship

     Leo told Scott Houston, CEO, Table Tennis Australia (TTA) at 2021 TTA Sydney Tour: “I want to win more medals for TTNSW and TTA in the future.”

Singha emphasized: ”While Leo was growing up he showed his true interest in table tennis. Every time I went to play the pennant competition at the local club, Leo always hid behind my seat or in the backseat of my car and said to me that he

really wanted to come with me, join my team and win competitions with me. We always ended up having to move him out of the car and tell him that ‘one day when you are ready, you can join daddy, but this time you should go to bed first so that you

can grow faster and join the team.’ There were so many occasions he hid in my car just because he wanted to come with me when I had to go to my practice and training. Since then, I have devoted my time more and more to Leo and reduced my own training to focus and support him whether winning or losing.    

Gold Medal - U11 Boys / Bronze Medal - U13 Boys - 2021 TTA TOUR SYDNEY

Leo said: “I heard that Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. I am delighted to hear the news that Brisbane won the bid, and hope that I will be reaching my prime by 2032 to compete in the Olympic Games for Australia.”

Leo continued: “I am a little boy, but I have a big dream.”

Vice President of TTNSW, Ted Davis said “Leo is a massive talent in table tennis, and won the Gold Medal at 2021 National Hopes and the Gold Medal for the U11 Boys Singles at 2021 TTA Tour - Sydney. Leo is ranked Number One U11 Boys in the latest 2021 Table Tennis Australia National Junior Rankings. TTNSW is definitely cheering Leo on as he achieves his goals. We are looking forward to hearing the good news from Leo in coming years.

David Lee and Michael Li thank Singha Piyachai and Leo Piyachai for the interview, discussion, advice and support in contributing to this article.