THE Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines (FESSAP) and the Table Tennis Association for National Development (TATAND) hope to discover more world-class Filipino athletes in the mold of the late 2016 Rio Olympian Ian Lariba.

This was stressed by both former national-player-turned-coach Julius Esposo of FESSAP and TATAND honorary president Charlie Lim during their appearances in the 29th “Sports on Air” via Zoom.

Esposo said FESSAP, now headed by president Edwin C. Fabro and chairman Alvin Tai Lian, and TATAND will work closely to discover and produce more outstanding young student-athletes who can someday represent the country in international competitions.

“We have a lot of young and talented table tennis players who can follow the footsteps of Ian Lariba, who represented the country in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and bring honors to the country,” said Esposo during the weekly online sports program.

“But we have to give them the proper training and exposure in both local and international competitions,” added Esposo, who was joined in the forum by Lim and athletes Alexandra Dominique

Reyes and Charles Joshua Lim of College of St. Benilde.

Lim, who is widely credited for the success of Lariba, former world championship participant Russel Misal and other national table tennis team athletes, said TATAND welcomed the opportunity to join FESSAP in helping develop young student-athletes.

“If there’s an opportunity to help table tennis athletes, TATAND is always ready to help. Gusto natin madami pa ng mag table tennis at mag-excel. With the right program, we can produce more

Ian Lariba and Russel Misal in the future,” said Lim.

“I really believe that Filipinos can excel in table tennis. Dito hindi kailangan ang height. Kahit maliit pero mabilis kumilos and if you are properly trained, puwede kang maging world-class player.

But we need to support these players so they can achieve their dreams,” explained Lim, who also played the game at the Cebu Eastern College during high school and University of San Carlos during college.

Next week, FESSAP and TATAND’s partnership will bring them to the 20th ASEAN University Games scheduled July 26-Aug. 6 in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.

Lariba competed in the 2016 edition of the ASEAN University Games, her last tournament before the 2016 Olympics.

TATAND was the major sponsor of the FESSAP Inter-Scholastic tournament held at the Robinson’s Place in Novaliches to determine the members of the national team to the ASEAN University

Games and the World Student Games in Jinjang, China in November.

Named to the Thailand-bound national team are Charles Joshua Lim of St. Benilde, Neo Angelo Laudato of St. Benilde, Francis Bendebel of National University, Romualdo Ramiro Jr. of National

University and Ken Andrei Memoria of University of Perpetual Help System Dalta in the men’s division; and Alexandra Dominique Reyes of St Benilde, Marriane Joyce Peralta of St Benilde,

Andrea Gestosani of the University of the East and Patricia R. Lucas of University of Perpetual Help System Dalta.