Chinese Teachers - An Energetic Cheerleading Squad Organized by the Confucius Institute

The 2023 World Table Tennis Championship in Durban, which ran from the 20th to the 28th, concluded flawlessly. Fan Zhendong captured the men's singles championship, while Wang Chuqin took home the titles in mixed doubles and doubles. Simultaneously, Sun Yingsha triumphed in the women's singles and mixed doubles events. Impressively, the Chinese team secured all five trophies at this World Table Tennis Championship.

A very special award ceremony took place in the interlude between the two singles finals. Celebrating his incredible "triple crown" triumph in men's singles from 2015 in Suzhou, 2017 in Düsseldorf, and 2019 in Budapest, the International Table Tennis Federation presented Ma Long with a replica of the esteemed St. Bride's Cup. This marked the third time in Chinese table tennis history that such an accolade was won, following the triumphs of Zhuang Zedong and Wang Nan.

For this tournament, the Confucius Institute at the University of the Western Cape organized a special trip for Chinese teachers. These educators from Cape Town morphed into a lively cheerleading squad at the Durban venue, vigorously supporting the Chinese team. The group was seen standing up to sing the national anthem five times, their eyes riveted to the Chinese flag on the screen, their hearts swelling with exhilaration and a sense of immense pride.

Everyone involved in this trip greatly appreciated and enjoyed this precious opportunity. The experience allowed them to witness the prowess of the Chinese table tennis team and fostered a sense of community and shared excitement among the teachers. The collective pride felt for the Chinese table tennis team was palpable, and anticipation is high for their future performances!