In the bustling ambience of the Primary School Milojka Strukelj, Nova Gorica, Slovenia, the countdown culminates as the ITTF World Youth Championships 2023 kickstarts tomorrow, November 26, lasting till December 3rd. This distinguished event gathers budding talents from across the world, all vying for prestigious titles allocated across the U19 and U15 age brackets. 

Since its inception in 2003, the ITTF World Youth Championships have stood as a pivotal milestone for emerging players, providing a platform to test their mettle. The draw, unveiled just a day ago, sets the stage for an enthralling series of matchups, igniting excitement and anticipation among enthusiasts. Explore the draw here. 

Among the constellation of rising stars set to grace the event, defending champion Lin Shidong from China returns, aiming to maintain his reign in the U19 category. Yet, the emergence of challengers like Eduard Ionescu from Romania suggests an intense battle for the top spot. In the U19 girls category, the competition promises exhilarating clashes. Keep an eye on Egypts Hana Goda and Koreas Lee Daeun as they vie for glory with the many other players in this fiercely contested bracket. 

Meanwhile, in the U15 category, Australian talent Aditya Sareens commendable performance thus far positions him as a contender to watch closely. While top-ranked Japanese, Yuna Ojio in the U15 girls category is another one that is sure to captivate audiences. 

For a comprehensive list of all participating players, simply click here. 

As the tournament commences, enthusiasts can catch every electrifying moment live on World Table Tennis YouTube channel and stay updated with real-time match results here. Additionally, relive the intensity through a collection of captivating event photos available on ITTF Flickr.