KIGALI, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Didier Nzosaba, one of Rwanda's best table tennis players, is using his success to inspire more people to develop a career in the game.
"I have been given the opportunity to train members of the Chinese community in Rwanda who have a passion for the game. Besides playing table tennis, I enjoy coaching. I received professional training for coaching in China and I am now a certified International Table Tennis Federation Level I coach," Nzosaba said.
"I thank the Chinese government for supporting me and other table tennis players in Burundi and Rwanda to develop a career in the game of table tennis. This has laid the foundation for professional table tennis players," he added.
The 26-year-old started playing table tennis when he was 10 years old during his primary school days in Rwanda's neighboring country Burundi.
"I started playing table tennis in Burundi. I developed passion for table tennis when I saw my school peers participating in the table tennis competition," Nzosaba told Xinhua in Rwanda's capital Kigali.
He started the sport in a table tennis academy in Burundi where he learned several valuable lessons that greatly improved his technique and made him a better player.
The warmth and support he found at the table tennis academy is what motivated and fueled his enthusiasm and passion for the game.
"I started playing in the junior category when I was 17. After playing for a year in the junior category I participated in table tennis national competition and emerged the winner in the junior category. This motivated me to pursue a career in table tennis," said Nzosaba.
"I participated in several competitions at the senior level in Burundi where I ranked in the top five and won a number of medals and trophies," smiled Nzosaba.
In 2018 he was selected to participate in table tennis training in China representing Burundi, and later relocated to Rwanda to continue his career.
Nzosaba was registered at the Rwanda Table Tennis Federation (RTTF) at the end of 2018. Since then, he has played in various tournaments, notably the 2021 Genocide Memorial Tournament, where he emerged the winner at the national level.
"Table tennis is great for health and fitness, keeps you mentally sharp because of the thinking, planning and a lot of calculated coordination and energy involved," he said.
Reminiscing his experience of competing in different competitions in Burundi and Rwanda, Nzosaba said "it was fascinating and really motivating. I really enjoyed every part of the tournament."
In 2015, he started coaching people who wish to develop a career in table tennis as a sport or leisure activity. "Anyone can play table tennis, but just like any other sport it requires passion and dedication," he explained.
Nzosaba, who now belongs to Vision Table Tennis Club in Rwanda, said that he remains focused, dedicating much of his time to table tennis, either in personal training, competitions or coaching his students.
Nzosaba continues to play the game, and says he will definitely remain to coach and inspire a lot more to join and love the game.
"He is a good coach. He has so far trained me in the basics of playing table tennis such as serving the ball. I have started learning several tactics of the game," said Huang Wanqing, one of Nzosaba's trainees. ■
