IOC President Kirsty Coventry visited the final day of the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026 Presented by ACN.
One of the most influential figures in global sport, President Coventry was welcomed to OVO Arena Wembley by ITTF President Petra Sörling and kicked off the day in style, heading to the practice hall where she exchanged rallies with Olympic champions Ma Long and Xu Xin, as well as ITTF Athletes’ Commission members Liu Shiwen, Elizabeta Samara and England’s Paul Drinkhall.
President Coventry then officially got the final day’s competition under way, pressing the button to start the session in front of a packed crowd. Later, she returned to centre stage to present the trophies to the champions, handing over the Corbillon Cup and Swaythling Cup as China were crowned Women’s Team and Men’s Team champions in the centenary year.
Among the other VIPs also in attendance on the final day were British Olympic Association Chair Dame Katherine Grainger, UK Sport Chair Nick Webborn, Table Tennis England Chair Clare Briegal MBE, and ITTF Secretary General Stefan Bergh.
Ann Jones (nee Haydon), a 10-time World Championships medallist for England before embarking on a tennis career which included winning the 1969 Wimbledon title, was also among spectators, along with another England World Championships medallist, Mary Wright and her husband Brian.
