PING PONG, DING DONG

August 6 - Next year's British Open has been awarded funding from UK Sport, the British Table Tennis Association for people with Disabilities (BTTAD) have announced.

The British Open, which is due to take place at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield between September 14 and 17, will be one of not more than five similar major world disability table tennis international events approved by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Para TT Division for 2011.

It is anticipated that with 2012 Paralympic Games so close, this high rating event is likely to attract many of the top world ranked players.

Only the European Championships - and other continental events - in 2011 will carry a higher rating.

Peter Taylor, the chairman of BTTAD, said: "A Factor 40 event staged in September 2011 will be the perfect stepping stone for GB athletes to obtain ranking points for London 2012.

"As the cut off point for qualification to the 2012 Paralympic Games is December 2011, staging an event in GB before then will be very beneficial to the sport achieving its Key performance indicators and medal targets at the 2012 Paralympic Games.

"There are currently 14 GB disability table tennis players in the world top 16 in their respective disability class with local player Sue Gilroy (pictured) the highest ranked at number two in hers.

"We are very grateful to our partners for this great opportunity to promote disability table tennis in Great Britain."

Gorazd Vecko, the ITTF Para Division Tournament Officer, said: "We are delighted that this event will be going ahead in Great Britain at such a crucial time for players and officials."

Esther Nicholls, Event Consultant for UK Sport, said: "UK Sport is committed to bringing world class sporting events to the UK ahead of 2012, in what we believe is the most comprehensive pre-Games events programme ever staged by an Olympic and Paralympic host nation.

"The British Open 2011 will provide an invaluable opportunity for British players to experience international competition on home soil just before the 2012 Paralympic Games.

"The event also provides us with the opportunity to hone the skills of key officials and to train volunteers , which is vital for building capacity within the sport to host events in the future."