While medals and performances attracted plenty of attention, the 2026 Ontario Summer Games also highlighted the strength of Ontario’s table tennis community and the many people working behind the scenes to make the event a success.
Community Engagement Continues to Grow
OTTA President Betty Zareba believes the Games reflect a broader trend within the sport.
“We are engaging our community more than ever. This spring we announced a public competition to design the medals for the Ontario Championships. It was such a pleasant surprise to receive the winning design from Suhaan Gulati. It is even more special knowing that Suhaan himself has stood on the podium at the Ontario Championships many times. Our athletes are not only great competitors—they are becoming active contributors to our sport in many different ways.”
The medal design initiative demonstrated that members of the Ontario table tennis community can contribute well beyond the playing court, creating a stronger sense of ownership and pride in the sport.
Athletes Growing into Coaches
One inspiring example is Sophia Bai (True North TTC), whose Ontario Summer Games represented much more than a return to competition.
After missing the previous Games because of injury, Sophia returned to compete while continuing to build her coaching career.
“I am glad that I am back after missing the last Ontario Summer Games because of injury. Now, besides playing, I am also pursuing coaching. I already coach my own regular Saturday training group, and this summer I will complete both the NCCP Introduction to Competition and Competition Development coaching certifications.”
Sophia’s journey illustrates the pathway OTTA encourages—developing athletes who also become future coaches, mentors, and leaders within the sport.
Sisters on the Podium
Family success was another memorable feature of the Games.
Olivia Ziyi Wang and Sophia Ziqing Wang celebrated together after winning the U15 Girls Doubles event, while Sophia Bai and Stephanie Bai also shared a place on the podium.
These moments were among the highlights of the medal ceremonies, reminding everyone that table tennis continues to be a family sport for many Ontario clubs.
(Insert photo: Sisters on the podium.)
Behind the Scenes
Providing competition equipment and preparing the venue required significant effort from many volunteers and partners.
Rays Chiu, owner of MyTTC, whose club supplied the competition equipment, described one unexpected challenge.
“The gym is excellent, but we had to spend extra hours on Thursday fighting sunny spots on the playing floor. I am glad we solved the problem before competition started, and nobody complained.”
His comments reflect the dedication of the organizing team, whose work behind the scenes ensured athletes could focus entirely on their performances.
Looking Ahead to the Canada Winter Games
The Ontario Summer Games also served as an important evaluation opportunity for Team Ontario’s coaching staff.
Following the event, and taking into account coaching experience, performance at the Games, and coaching certification, OTTA appointed Hongtao Chen as Team Leader and Head Coach for Team Ontario at the 2027 Canada Winter Games.
The appointment of the female coach will be announced following the completion of the selection tournament for the remaining two athlete positions. The selection event is expected to take place in October, with the exact dates to be announced in the coming weeks.