Leonard Piyachai - Rising Table Tennis Star

11 year old NSW junior table tennis player Leo (Leonard) Piyachai, achieved incredible results at the 2021 National Hopes Week & Challenge, which was held at LOOPS Table Tennis from 12-16 April, 2021; and followed up this success at the 2021 Table Tennis Victorian Junior Open Championships, which were held at the Melbourne Sports Centre on 17 April 2021.

Leo won the gold medal at 2021 National Hopes, then at the Victorian Junior Open Championships won the gold medal in the U11 Boys Singles and the silver medal in the U11 Boys Doubles.

Leo also won the gold medal at 2020 National Mini Hopes in Jan 2021. This success has led to Leo achieving number 1 ranking for U11 Boys in Australia.

Leo said: “I have been playing since I was five in 2015 and my first coaches were my Dad Singha and Peter Masen. I have been living in Wollongong, and I went to Sydney once a week and on weekends for the 2 hour each way driving and trained there for the whole day. I trained with my Dad 6 days a week for 1 to 2 hours per day during weekdays.”

“In 2017, I started training with Nam-Ho OH and trained once a week as well as on the weekends. In 2018, when I was 8, I started my first competition in Sydney and played at the Illawarra Pennant every week.”

Leo continued, “In 2019, I became number one U10 in NSW and went to the Australian National Junior championships. I won U11 Single Boys in 2019 ACT Open, U9 Single in VIC Junior Open, and U10 in NSW Junior.”

“In 2020, I won U11 Single Boys and U10 Single in NSW Junior Open. I go to Sydney once a month now to have training with Louis Lin on the weekends, and I am still doing regular training with my Dad. I also joined the National Talent ID Pathway Program coached by Hongbo Liang “

Vice President of TTNSW, Ted Davis said “Leo is a massive talent in table tennis, and TTNSW is definitely cheering Leo on as he achieves his goals. We are looking forward to hearing the good news from Leo in July National Junior Championships.