VietNamNet Bridge - Prodigy Vu Thi Thu Ha will make her debut at the National Table Tennis Championships at Hai Duong Gymnasium from April 18-24, team representative Cao Nhu Lan confirmed on April 8.

Ha, 13, has grown up training at the Hai Duong-based table tennis centre, and will be part of the new-look 12-member Hai Duong squad at the 29th premier championship.

"Ha is a very young star but she has already shown her power and skill after just two years at the centre. She won the girls' singles title at the National Junior Championships last year, as well as two bronze medals at an ASEAN student table tennis tournament in Indonesia," Lan said.

The team, finished a three-month training course in Guangxi, China, last month, and is eager to regain its status as one of the country's top sides.

"We are ready to get back on track and challenge Hanoi, HCM City and the Army team who have dominated the domestic championship over the last decade.

"The city established a table tennis centre last year to nurture a new generation of players in order to become competitive again," Lan said.

She also added the team received an annual sponsorship of around VND600 million (US$28,000) from Hoang Thach, a local cement producer.

The team will also field other young players including Le Anh Phong, 21, and Ha Phuc Thanh, 18, along with in-form Nguyen Van Ngoc and Ngo Duc Duy.

The championships are expected to draw 120 players from 14 teams to compete in the men's and women's singles, doubles, mixed doubles and team events at Hai Duong's 2,000-seat gymnasium.

Organisers said the winning team will walk away with over US$4,000 in cash, the biggest prize in the tournament's 29-year history.

Source: VOV