In Verkhnyaya Pyshma, the international table tennis tournament "UGMK-OPEN" among athletes under 13, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, has started.
128 boys and girls from 26 regions of Russia, and also from Kazakhstan, went to the tables to identify the winners. The tournament brought together the strongest athletes - 40 of the best tennis players in the FNTR rating, as well as those who passed the regional selection. In addition to the fight for cash prizes, and the tournament fund is 200,000 rubles, athletes will fight for a place in the Russian national team. "UGMK-OPEN" is being held for the first time, but it has already been included in the qualifiers for getting into the national team.
At the opening of the competition, the participants were greeted by the Deputy Minister of Physical Culture and Sports of the Sverdlovsk Region Andrei Zyablitsev, Deputy Head of the Administration of the Verkhnyaya Urban District Pyshma on social issues Pavel Vygodsky, Deputy Director for General Issues of UMMC Alexey Smirnov and Chairman of the Sverdlovsk Regional Table Tennis Federation Sergey Litovkin.
“Throughout its history, the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company has made a huge contribution to the development of table tennis not only in the Sverdlovsk Region, but throughout the country. The young athletes prepared for this tournament very much, the games will be uncompromising, and the victories are very bright. We will see the best athletes in the country, all the coaches will have the opportunity to work with their players and see who is capable of what, ”noted Sergey Litovkin.
“ Among the guys who came to the tournament, there are a large number of stars, which in the future will replace eminent adult athletes. Table tennis has a huge future, and the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company does its utmost to make it bright and cheerful, ”said Alexey Smirnov.
The competition will be held in three round-robin stages. Each tennis player will play 15 games in four days. The matches start daily from 10:00, the tournament will close on September 15 at 14:00.
